


Choice, a RWBY college A.U.

by Elfen1012



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Drama, F/F, Fights, Grief/Mourning, Happy, Hurt/Comfort, Lesbian Sex, Relationship(s), Romance, Safer Sex, foreign exchange au, reupload
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-17
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-03-23 10:22:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 145,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3764557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elfen1012/pseuds/Elfen1012
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Ruby Rose lost her mother opportunities were slim until the Long family stepped in. Now in a new college, new country, new home, with new people she has all the opportunities in the world. All she has to do is chose. RWBY College A.U. Romance/slice of life. Contains White Rose among other things (Mostly F/F).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. El Vale

**Ruby Rose**

    There is an intrinsically moody element to anyone capable of writing fiction. A required feeling of general discontent with reality to shy away from it in designing your own world, rules, place and most importantly people. At least as far as Ruby knew. Her own scribblings were most effectively written on her worst days. Not surprisingly, the day her life went from a four year plan at Portland State kindly paid for by mom, to using that same money to cover sudden medical expenses quickly leading up to that same mom's funeral, the same mom dying, was the day that she started work on her most expansive and massive writing project yet, a sort of half steampunk half cyberpunk fantasy adventure story. The world had been flushed out, peoples histories cultures maps, a lot of google docs and a few scattered notes written on stake and shake plate mats. Mom passing brought her a lot of heartache, but a lot of inspiration, too.

    One thing it hadn't helped Ruby with was making characters, at least not any she cared about. So just like then, Ruby sat herself down to try and channel her emotions into something awesome. This time, however, it wasn't her bed she was laying on. It was the rough cotton sheets of the sleeper train room. She had, instead of her pc, a coffee stained notebook. Instead of the serenity of silence she had the rumbling sound of the busy train, and instead of the loss of her mother, Ruby tried to be motivated by her exodus from America. Problem was for how absolutely depressed Ruby had felt about everything, here sitting silently in her train car staring into the void of blank paper in her red notebook, she was actually a little excited.

    Sure, traveling alone from Portland to Madrid, then onto a train to a place she had never heard of in a country where, sadly due to her propensity to doodle in Spanish class, she had no idea how to speak the language of, was perhaps scary. Double that with going to a University she had never seen and again did not even speak the same language as the professors. Plus talking to people and making new friends. Talking to people was scary enough when she knew them. Perhaps the most anxiety filled thing in her life to date. Yet still it was an adventure. Sure, not so much hunting monsters in the forest adventure, but an adventure.

    "And Yang's there, and dad, too," Ruby whispered only to herself with a slight grin, scratching some penciled in image into her notebook, one of the many first drafts of a character bio and picture. Not much use for scribblings in a novel, but maybe she could do art pages every once in a while. That would be cool, at least she thought so.

    "¿Señorita, estás despierto?" A young sounding woman called from behind the cabin door, knocking likely on the thin false wood barrier. Ruby hated this part, every few hours someone from the train would come by and politely as they could tell her something or ask her what she wanted for dinner, either way she didn't understand a word of it and always made a fool of herself. Honestly, she just felt bad being the jerk no one could understand.

    "Uno momento!" she called back, mustering her best single semester of Spanish she could, tossing the notebook to the side of her lone little night stand. In a rush she got back up dancing between the two trunks of luggage she brought and her over stuffed backpack all the way to the door. Just as she suspected it, a young smiling woman was there at the door, giving some update Ruby wouldn't understand.

    "Su parada, El Vale, es en cinco minutos señorita." Voice sweet as summer, language beautiful as any could be, but still Ruby didn't understand a word. Well minutos was probably minutes, or meters. She was fairly certain they used meters after all.

    "Perdon, no hablo espanol." Ruby replied with her most apologetic smile and hope that her batched Spanish would get by. The other woman smiled back, nodding without seeming mad or frustrated, much to Ruby's pleasure.

    "English is better?" she replied in a thick, but understandable accent earning a very happy nod from Ruby. It was absolutely awesome being an anglophone sometimes, everyone seemed to learn English everywhere else as far as Ruby had known. Such an unfair advantage, one she would never complain about. "Your stop El Vale, is in five minutes. Have a good trip." Understandably, the attendant made as swift an exist as manners would allow, the rest of the sleeper cars stopping at what Ruby had heard was the newest big college town in the country, though Yang had always said the town was always there, just no one cared till now. Stepping out of her shutout room she understand how different the world old was here .

    In the distance, only the glass window, motion, and a few thousand meters separating her from it, was a real life castle, keep and all, the tan stone walls wrapping around the hillside into the valley to form divisions in the town, eventually merging with a huge facility that Ruby could only guess was the college. The sight of it was strangely jarring to Ruby. She had written a thousand half-finished manuscripts that described every facet and facility of a castle, from stone to stone, yet never had she seen one, or anything as old as this. This was now officially her new adventure, the thought of it tugging at her lips into a smile. All the horrible things of late had not stifled the kid in her. Now she so had to go there and touch it.

    The train began to twist down into the valley and so Ruby ran back into her room, tossing the scattered notebooks into her backpack and gathering the mess of luggage. For the first time since she got aboard the train the atmosphere of that room felt suffocating, the girl wanted to be outside, wanted to touch that Castle, breath foreign air aside from the the airport and train station. Soon enough she would get what she wished. Loaded up with other passengers, Ruby became one of the many in the mass that crowded around the exit. Outside the train had entered the city, the similar styled two story buildings with white or tan facades and red tiled roofs passing by at a blurred speed slowly becoming clearer as the train slowed down to a halt.

    The station itself didn't open up to Ruby until the flood began to subside. The great human mass stepping off the bullet train onto the floor. Ruby alone stood at the train doors letting everyone pass with a backpack on her back and two trunks in her hands. Frozen for a moment, nervousness and excitement fighting a bloody battle in her, the crimson haired girl studied her place. A station bigger than any bus station in she knew of in America was painted a yellow in front of her the spanish flag flapping above a huge tan brick clock tower marked with a twenty four hour scheme. A smile curled on her lips, Ruby felt the excitement win for a moment, and at the foot of the train she stepped off the platform.

    Heavy as her bags were, Ruby had no problem pulling the luggage around. Exactly where they were being pulled was the problem. In their emails back and forth it was agreed they would pick Ruby up at the station. That was all well and good, but the place was massive, containing multiple entries, exits, and counters. Oh, and endless useless signs. Convinced there was no point in picking a specific spot Ruby decided on her original goal, that Castle.

    Outside the heat was surprisingly non-existent in the northern part of the country. Instead, cool air greeted Ruby as she took a walk outside the station lobby out to the front courtyard. It was a massive plaza of no real roads to speak of, only brick paths allowing very little traffic from cars, putting plenty of people on foot. Center of the plaza, directly opposite the highest keep she could see above the towns builds, was a fountain of marble and a statue of two knights. They seemed almost a morbidly grey, yet sleek and sad. Seemed like something for a story.

    "You break it you buy it, sis." While breaking a marble statue three times Ruby's size seemed daunting, she made no complaints or comeback. Forgetting everything about the statue, Ruby's mind locked on that sweet voice that spoke behind her.

    "Yang!" And there she was behind her, that glorious woman. Yang was just two years older than Ruby, but she always seemed leagues ahead. She was taller, faster, more sociable, and as far as the little sister could fathom beyond imaginably gorgeous. Yang was one of those ridiculously beautiful people, the ones that depending on how much evil in in your heart you have to laugh at how out of the world it is or be hateful and envious of it. Ruby remembered always being in the first camp, despite thinking of herself as admittedly a mild sort of pretty compared to her older sister and for sure that had not changed in the year since Yang last visited America. The older sister looked stunning on her motorcycle, decked in all yellow, tan, and black, chest out and chin high. Ruby could never think ill will toward her though, Yang was the best oaf of a half sister Ruby could dream of and loved her forever more for it. "What are you doing here? Isn't dad suppose to pick me up?"

    "Nope, I called it. You're riding with me. Now shut up and hug me, it's been literally forever!" Yang demanded with a flip of her golden hair and the shut off of her engine. Ruby didn't hesitate for a moment, charging in a tackle she collided with Yang. Ruby was so dainty compared to big tough Yang. She barely made a dent in her sturdy posture and that so exactly what she wanted right now.

    "It's been a year, don't be a drama llama," Ruby replied with a laugh taking in all the warmth of Yang's hug, her scent, her presence. Oh how Ruby had needed her for all this crazy nonsense. It was so ironic that just when her world crumbled after taking every summer before to see Ruby, Yang didn't this year. She had some summer class, not her fault. None of it mattered now, Ruby's big sister was here and that was awesome.

    "What happened to you? Not rocking shiny gothic look anymore?" That 'shiny gothic' was what Ruby would normally dress in. Boots skirt and top all in black and red, her hair was already a little red so she went for a deep black red mix her mom showed her how to dye. Not so much of the gothic in a cosmetic or cultural way. Ruby went mostly natural on makeup and always tried to have a really sunny disposition, but she liked the gothic fashion look, felt natural to her. Felt right for her to wear, but that style had a… cultural caveat to it Ruby didn't want as a first impression for the Long family. She was the perfect B student that never got into trouble, but people always had hang ups on things. Instead she dressed in some jeans and a red hoodie. She could dress like herself once everyone got more use to Ruby.

    "It's all packed up, I'm the same as last summer time, and the time before that. I, uhhh, don't seem to grow." Ruby's cheeks turned a little red aware she still looked so young at eighteen. Enough people still thought she was a freshman in high-school, really embarrassing. Yang just smiled and looked at her with a raised brow.

    "Come on, sis, you've grown, only like five years ago you were a drying rack!" Yang playful retorted. 'Lewd!' Though she wasn't wrong exactly. Couldn't argue that with Yang. She had gone to see her every summer since Ruby was around six so she had nice little yearly snapshots to watch Ruby grow. Since she was a baby and Yang was a strange girl who couldn't talk. Ruby realized now how much she wished Yang had taught her spanish instead of Ruby teaching her english. So many problems averted, but maybe… No, Ruby wouldn't change a single memory of them together. "We got places to go girl. You ready to meet the family? We got a feast planned out sis. A real big shabang. Dad's like insanely excited," Yang added tying the trunks to either side of the motorcycle, an arrangement that made Ruby just a little nervous, but hey, who knew better than Yang about this stuff.

    "What about, uh, your mom? Is she excited?" Ruby asked swaying from side to side in a nervous metronome. That was the one kind of unknown she had avoided thinking about. Ruby's mom had always been really chill with Yang, loved her, treated her like her own daughter, but Ruby's mom was not the one married to Mr. Long. Ruby's mom was the other woman, and she was that kid. Sounded like a really rough wretch to throw in the family engine. Who knows, maybe she was nice? The Longs made up years ago and all that was suppose to be better now. Still, Yang paused as she loaded what goodies Ruby had brought to shrug her shoulders and shook her head.

    "She made us dinner and she helped build your room, other than that she hasn't mentioned it. Rubes, don't worry about it. Big sister Yang won't let anyone pick on you." The words were comforting and maybe it was just having Yang there to pat her on the back and be that big beautiful ball of burning glory that was she was. The best big sister ever, bar none. "Now get on, dinner's waiting for us," she added sliding her way on the yellow motorcycle, revving it once or twice for show. She was always a bit of a show off.

    "When did you get this?" Ruby asked straddling herself in behind Yang. She gave Ruby a devilish smile right back. Mouthing 'hold on' and tossing Ruby a helmet was the only warning she would give before starting up quick, firing them both out of there. Ruby would have let out a scream, but she couldn't even gather sense enough for that. She just clung to Yang, scared the wind would knock her right off the bike. Ruby had never ridden anything that had a motor and less than four wheels before. It was horrifying, then scary, followed by exhilarating. Eyes finally lifting from Yang's hair Ruby looked over her right shoulder, crossing our of the city into the hills just south she saw the Atlantic again, so much clearer now on bike than the train. The sunset over a western hill gave a red glow on the water she could just make out in the distance and covered the eastern Castle in black. This was so cool.

    "Oh, yeah I didn't tell you! Dad came back from Hong Kong, made a big deal between his brother's company and the local one here in the Vale. Promised to get me a bike if I went to college and now we're going together!" Yang seemed thrilled, she loved motorcycles and fast cars, pretty much anything that was vaguely dangerous and adventurous. Not to say she did anything really stupid, Yang was the safest adventurer she had ever known. Well, maybe not going down the road seventy miles per hour. Ruby couldn't read the gauge being in kilometers, but it felt like seventy at least. "He's paying for your tuition with that money too, so you don't have to get a job or anything. We got you set up." Yang was nearly singing with how happy she was, which was good to hear. Ruby didn't really have any idea if she would be good news or a problem coming here. The whole event was an emotional storm, one she had yet to adjust enough to make sure the red head wasn't a sudden burden.

    "So, what does dad… you know, do?" Ruby had to almost shout to be heard over the roaring wind along the main stretch of road into the hills. In all this time she didn't really know what dad did any more. She knew he was from Hong Kong, that he worked in development in north Africa for a Spanish company years back. It was where he met mom who was a security contractor. Other than that, dad was a complete mystery to her. Maybe it was more Ruby's fault for not reaching out and asking. In fact, the funeral was the first time she had seen him since… too long.

    "Still development, though he mostly stays in country. Mom put a super tight leash on him since, well you!" Yang let out a roaring laugh, the whole thing a lot funnier to her than anyone else. It made Ruby feel a little awkward, but everyone had their weirdness. This was hers, in a far away place. It was so pretty though, the city was in the distance now, suburbs and orchards replacing them. The road grew more cobble than proper pavement so Yang slowed down. Out in the hills everything was surprisingly green and really old. They passed an wooden church burned down, but loaded with pretty flowers. Past that was a town plaza with a fountain and lovely park. It eventually gave way to a river rapid partitioned off in a cobble stone riven, probably made to protect against flooding, but Ruby thought it was just really scenic, it looked cold to the touch, maybe she could swim in it during summer. After all she was going to be here for the next four years.

    They slowed their pace even more crossing over the river on a small stone bridge, probably as old as the town itself. Maybe even Roman. On the other side small stone fencing was covered in grape vines for most of the houses, some of them older than anything in America, but some of them fairly new. Turning one more corner along the top of the hill was the final building, so it had to be theirs. It looked like a wooden tower more than home at first glance. Though only maybe two floors high, its place on the hill made it look way bigger. It was mostly wood, probably an older place though recently reconstructed. The same viney stone fence was around this place, though more orderly. It was more tower than mansion. The first floor wasn't all that massive, sort of calm and collected. Ruby liked that. The entire complex was painted tan where it wasn't wood, with the same red brick roofing the rest of the buildings all shared. It was a really lovely place and as Yang slowed down in front of the rocky driveway, Ruby was content in this for her home.

    "Mía, llegas tarde!" a woman called out from the porch. She was thin, tall, and really beautiful. From the lines in her face it was evident she was older than Yang, but they did look so much alike. She was wearing a yellow dress, her arms crossed with a raised brow. Ruby didn't know what she was saying, but clearly she was irritated just a little. This was definitely Yang's mom, one look would tell you that. This was where Yang got her golden hair, much larger proportions, legs, violet eyes, and ever so slightly tanned skin that made her so obnoxiously pretty. It was like meeting an older Yang, something that, if translated to her personality, meant they would all get along awesomely.

    "Está bien, mamá, esta es Ruby!" Yang announced, almost shocking Ruby. It had been so long since she had seen Yang speak Spanish, all hints of an accent gone years ago. Almost forgot this was where she grew up. The mother eased up, shaking her head at her daughter's comment, whatever it was. Taking a few step further she walked right up to them, Ruby getting off the bike and Yang detaching all the trunks and goodies from across the ocean.

    "Hola, mi nombre es Envida Long. ¿Cómo fue tu viaje?" she asked, hopefully innocently. Ruby froze up in response, giving only a nervous chuckle in response as she pulled on her own hoodie. Why didn't Yang tell her she  couldn't speak Spanish anyways? How bad was the communication here, or was this just one of Yang's pseudo pranks.

    "Yo no hablo espanol," Ruby replied meekly with a chuckle. Yang just burst out laughing as she undid more baggage. Her mother made a slight click with her tongue in irritation, probably not the best way to make a positive impression. After a passing sign though, she laughed lightly into a grin with a bit of Yang in that smile and chuckle.

    "Your accent is terrible. Learn it quick. My name is Envida Long. Call me Envida or Señora Long, either is okay. Come, come, food is ready." She had nothing left to say apparently, after telling her to come she walked back inside, more voices coming from within. Both hers and a male voice Ruby could recognize as her father.

    "Come on, it's not like our house is that haunted, " Yang cut in tossing Ruby one of the luggage trunks carrying in the two by herself. It was noticeably the lightest one she handed off, which made Ruby smile. Well, until the rest of that sentence struck her. 'Wait, wait, that haunted?!'

    The inside was about a rustic as Ruby could have really wanted without it seeming poor or shabby. The interior was mostly woodwork, a darker color dominating it. There were some paintings hung up and other assorted strung about furnishings, but other than that it was a pretty spartan lay out, empty of the clutter usually associated with homes. Yang was right, her mom was a clean freak. Yang dumped the trunk at the door and Ruby followed suit, not knowing exactly where her 'room', assuming she was lucky enough to have her own room, was. Sounds came from one of the side rooms, just under the wooden arch. Yang quickly pulled her by the hand into the room, a dining room set for a feast. The table was lined with plates and cups, a center piece contained a fresh ham and chicken. Fairly American, but that was maybe the point. Their dad stood looking over the preparations seeming nervous and unsure. That all melted away as soon as he turned to find Ruby.

    "Ruby, sweetheart! I'm sorry I couldn't pick you up, I just got off work and thought you'd beat me here." He ran over to her side scooping up Ruby in one big hug. Her dad wasn't a huge man, in fact he was pretty small both in size and lankiness. An attractive man of notable Chinese descent, dad is where Ruby got the black to her natural hair color, he having short fading hair as black as ravens and a stubble that never quite could become a beard. This was what Ruby liked about her dad so much, no matter how little their time was together he always seemed thrilled to see her, much more loving than he claimed he was raised to be. Mom always claimed to be responsible for that, but Ruby thought it was he just had a good heart.

    "It's alright, I haven't seen Yang in forever. It was nice to see her. Thanks for, uhh," Ruby didn't really know how to say it. Saving her from being destitute high school grad with like absolutely no future? For showing up out of no where saying her college was totally paid for and a totally super expensive private school too? After her mom died, Ruby didn't know what to do at all, much less what to do about life plans. Now it was more about what do with all her opportunities than whether she could find one at all. "For letting me be here."

    "Stop that, Ruby. I'm your father. I have a lot of responsibility that comes with that. Ones your mom can't cover for me any more. You have a right to be here." He spoke with assurance and charm. He was such a softy. Mom use to say if he could he would spoil all of his children to death before he could stand to be stern. In times like this Ruby was super grateful for it.

    "You all talk too much. Eat," Yang's mom started completely ignoring the moment and taking her spot right next to the wine bottle, popping open the evening's drink and pouring herself out some to enjoy. Dad sighed at this, clearly a little irritated by that. Ruby didn't really mind, the food looked awesome and she was too busy figuring out how not to offend the train attendants to get a lunch today.

    "Mamá perfecta!" Yang laughed as she sat down next to an open seat. One she was quick to pat down giving Ruby a look that said, 'shut up and eat dinner.' Something Ruby was completely chill with. Sitting next to Yang, Ruby found herself in a perfect position to assault all the assorted meats and vegetables lines up on the table for her pickings. The wine was out of reach, but who cared. She was a milk drinker, anyways. A family meal was something Ruby had not been afforded in forever. Something she was so glad to have now.

    "Alright, so tomorrow is not my first day?" Ruby asked going over her day plan. The evening meal had gone pretty well, all things considered. The food was astounding. Apparently, while Miss Long cooked Yang and dad worked their hardest, actually constructing dinner. It was then that Ruby learned Yang was in the school's culinary program, 'because she likes food.' About as good a reason as any. Miss Long had made it perfectly clear American dinner was not every night and Ruby would have to get used to Galician meals quick, whatever that actually entailed Ruby missed completely. Eventually Yang breached the subject of school, when it started and apparently how Ruby's day tomorrow was already spoken for despite being a Sunday.

    "Yes. Monday is your first day, but tomorrow is special Orientation for abroad students. You are technically abroad so you'll be put in classes designed to acclimate you," dad explained, finishing up his plate of ham. He had enrolled Ruby pretty much without a single finger being lifted by anyone else. He did it mostly to keep one more thing from dropping on Ruby's shoulders, though being put in a special program felt a little like cheating.

    "Basically, you'll have like near all English speaking classes for the most part, take a class in Spanish and be a part of the abroad dorm and advising group. Really cool program. I know a girl in it from Italy, she's super cool. I'm actually helping with it this year, so you're not totally alone!" Yang spoke a near mile of text per minute. She was way more confident in this program than Ruby was, but Yang was a walking ball of confidence and assurance. Hell, if she was going to be there how bad could it be. "We're going to be going to school together! I'm so excited!" So excited she was literally bouncing in her seat at the idea.

    Looking at an especially difficult piece of ham that would not stop staring Ruby down, she felt exhaustion hit her as hunger faded. Jet lag was already hitting her and Ruby didn't known how much longer she had before her muscles just stopped and refused to obey her. All she was sure is that time was sooner than later.

    "Umm, I hate to be rude, but I'm really tired, could I be excused to sleep….and, uh, told where that will be happening?" Ruby asked with a nervous chuckle. She wasn't really comfortable with making demands on anyone yet. Dad nodded in agreement, and Miss long waved 'fine' with at least a warm enough smile, warm enough Ruby still couldn't tell if Yang's mom hated her.

    "Let me show you to your room! We totally decked it out!" Yang didn't bother asking permission, she hardly did for anything so this was in no way a surprise. Pulling Ruby to her feet the red head never got a chance to finish her meal before being dragged off. Passed to foyer into the other side of the building. Yang brought her to the stairway, one rising up into the top tower and another below that reaching to the basement.

    "I live upstairs, it's actually a pretty sweet deal if I wanna bring people over. You get the basement, but I swear it's cool. It's like it's own apartment," Yang explained, opening the door under the stairs to the basement steps. Ruby was perfectly content with a basement to herself. She was not really expecting her own bedroom to begin with. This house wasn't really reconstructed with a second child in mind after all, a converted room was more than enough. This became even more true when she actually saw what was below.

    "We modeled it after your room back home." They sure did, except it was even bigger, had it's own bathroom and living room accessories. The basement was the size of the upstairs dining room and foyer all together. Left was a closet. No door, but massive in space. Right was the bathroom all decked out in red just like the one she shared with mom. The living room set was a red two person couch aimed at a TV with no actual cable hooked up. 'Someone remembers playing fighting games.' The back was complete with an old writer's desk with nice red accents, a punching bag oddly enough, and a hanging bed, like a mattress met a hammock. Clearly dangerous and Yang's idea. Still, Ruby liked it.

    The back had a locked door to the outside, the basement of the building having come out on the other side of the hill. A window stretched across the back aside from the backdoor with a diagonally cut red curtains, absolutely based on her's back in the old apartment. The outside view was amazing too, a clear shot to the river that ran by the house. It was just open green expanse. This was awesome. "This use to be my work out room, managed to fit the weights back upstairs, though we had to keep the punching bag down here, so totally going to have to deal with a lot of me being around. Hope you don't like sitting around your room naked or something."

    "This is awesome!" Ruby shouted throwing herself on the new couch. She couldn't have dreamed of having so much space and stuff. A writing desk, too. Yang had to have just thought of everything. Ruby really did owe them all so much. Somehow she was going to pay them back one day. Somehow.

    "Mom was flipping a shit over the renovations, but dad and I wanted you to be happy here. Ruby, I'm really dumb, but I know what happened with your mom… I loved Summer, she was like a second mom to me. I want to say I'm not great at it, but I'm here for you, sis." Yang didn't need to be good at it, she was already the best sister ever. Ruby didn't know what to say so she just hugged her.

    "Yang, thank you. I'ma go to bed, but I'm really happy I'm here with you. We're going to have an awesome couple of years," Ruby replied feeling a bit choked up at the moment. She wasn't ready to talk about Summer, but knowing she could meant a lot.

    Yang just nodded, breaking their embrace and taking some steps towards the stairs. "Goodnight Rubes, I'll be going to Orientation with you tomorrow. It'll be great."

    "Yeah, it will. See you tomorrow." Yeah, this wasn't going to be about lose. This was a new adventure and tomorrow would be the start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a ff reupload I'm going to do about once per every other day for people who don't know me on ff. I'm leaving in old notes as well. Also does anyone know how to do proper indents on here? Let me know 
> 
> ***Wow so here it is big new project. Read a lot of highschool A.U. I like, but I didn't want to do the same thing everyone else did, I wanted to put it in college, just one life step above, and put it in a place other than America. I chose the one I new best, Galicia Spain, a place I lived for a Summer. The town and village are based on a mixture of Vale, Alicante (east spain), and a village my family comes from in Galicia. The house is also based on the house my Uncle still lives in. This I thought might give a bit more spice to the setting, though it'll always remain an English fan fic, deals with mostly an American (I wanted to stick to what I know, which is being an American for better or worse).
> 
> Next Chapter will introduce our many beloved characters such as Weiss, Blake, Jaune, and Penny, as well as the college itself. I will be having a bit of a culturally diverse cast, so I wanted to reach out ahead and ask and British and Australians out there in terms of language what phrases are real and what isn't that's pop culture bull. Rather people be true to the culture. PM if you could!
> 
> Release schedule for this is more varied, but I hope to do plenty! Also, thank LazyKatze for being a source of ideas and editor on this. Her edits are awesome as is her story Layers of Ice! Also I need good art for this, so if anyone of you know of some matching cover art tell me, buh-bye!


	2. Chapter 2: Welcome to Beacon

**Ruby Rose**

     "Hey, hey, get up Ruby! We got to go!"

     Ruby didn't respond at first, though it was her sister's voice shouting at her. The sweet dreams of forests in perpetual autumn, of snowy valleys where nothing melts, and fantastic dreams of contrasting colors and strange things in the dark were much nicer than waking. Somewhere in a flash of white and red in a blizzard of snow, so close she could almost see it, was the next big idea.

     "Stop being a butt. Get up!"

     The dreams fractured into a million colored pieces and with a flicker of the eyelashes Ruby was back in real world, embraced by red velvet covers in a hanging mattress. White light from outside danced along the floor of the basement. It was bright out for being so early, though Ruby preferred that. A few warm rays from the sun breathed all the life Ruby needed into her for the day. Wide-eyed, fresh, and ready to go, Ruby kicked herself up, nearly throwing herself and the bed to the floor. The rope supports were not the sturdiest things, Ruby noticed.

     "I'm up. Ready, let's go!" Ruby announced to Yang, whom apparently thought it was funny and started giggling. It took a moment to realize why. Yang was all dressed in black shorts, and a nice, brown leather jacket open at the front, showing off her yellow tank top. ' _Pretty showy for a cooler autumn day,'_ Ruby thought, but maybe that was why she had a sweater tied around her waist, making a nice little almost cape. _'Good look.'_ Ruby, on the other hand, was in messy, pink polka dot PJ pants and a loose black tank top, both wrinkled and a mess. "Okay, never mind. Shower first!"

     The shower in mention was a small addition to the downstairs basement, not really separated from the other room by anything more imposing than a curtain. It was plenty though. Ruby hadn't even expected her own room, so having a private bath was awesome. She turned it to a nice cool, enough to make her shudder and fully awaken for the day. This was just the orientation, but the same fears and discomfort Ruby remembered from a thousand first days at school were rumbling in her chest. This was her time to make new friends, branch out with other students like her, but that was absolutely the last thing she wanted to worry about now. After eighteen years, why hadn't people gotten less scary?

     Up and out of the shower, the next choice was haunting Ruby. The choice of what clothes. It was silly high school bull, but what someone wore was a good half of the first impression. It was less of a question of altering her style, Ruby didn't want to give off an impression other than herself, but she wanted to show it without seeming too strong. Not to mention Yang's mom would probably freak if Ruby just went all out with it. Instead, she settled on a combination. Give it a day or so before she broke out the black leggings and skirts. She started with ripped at the knees jeans, sort of common, but they were comfy, and had the same red and black design as always. For a shirt she settled on a similar dark black tank top emblazoned with a red rose design, one Ruby loved to get on anything she could. Over that she had the same hoodie, a comfortable red, simple and not too flashy.

     "Ruby, come on! You take forever!" Yang shouted from upstairs, a bit of an annoyed groan towards her. Ruby didn't worry about it. Gathering her now useless phone, keys to a home she no longer lived in, and wallet with a loan Portland City bus ID pass, it was clear everything she kept on her was worthless now. Everything but a red leather bound notebook and a pen. All she had to bring of her own was a writing utensil. Hopefully she could actually make something if meeting people ended up a bust. _'Don't think that way, this is the start.'_

     "Alright, Yang. Let's go!"

* * *

 

     "And so things here are pretty lax! You'll love Professor Goodwitch, big reader like you!" Yang shouted over the roar of Bumblebee, the name of her motorcycle of which was always to be treated with utmost affection. Ruby had gathered that it was her prize possession. Flying down the mountain road into the coastal city of Vale, Ruby completely understood why. The ride was beautiful and more than a little exciting. It was slightly frightening on the more bumpy cobbled roads, but driving in like this, the wind and the glimmer of the sea just a few miles out, was easily a good enough reason. Ruby didn't think she would get herself one, but drives like this out to school could easily grow to be a welcome thing. Hell of a way to wake up too.

     "Goodwitch?!" Ruby asked interested, trying as well to be louder than Bumblebee. She had never heard of anyone named Goodwitch, much less a Spanish woman. Then again, not many people in Spain probably had the name Long. Heck, even in America the name Rose earned Ruby a few looks of confusion and some small bouts of name calling.

     "Yeah, she and Professor Ozpin, they're from Oxford. Restarted the university here! I mean, it wasn't always called Beacon! She's a language professor, head of your program! Had her for English, loved her even if she's a bit of a hard-ass!" So this Professor Goodwitch was the boss. At least that promised the program head could at least understand Ruby. That was one major concern out the window.

     ' _Okay, Ruby, keep your head cool. You got this,'_ she kept telling herself the same thing all morning.

     The mountain view melted after a while, reforming into streets of tan buildings with red roofs and streets made of proper pavement that were populated by tons of different people, the amount walking outnumbering the vehicles on the road tenfold. This lead to Yang making more erratic, and probably totally illegal, turns. Still Ruby didn't think it was smart to start asking her to cool it while they were still zooming through town square. It wasn't long after that just above the city streets the sun bleached walls of the local castle came to view, the tallest an empty keep with no one in it besides maybe whoever hung the Spanish flag at the top. Before the end of the next four years here Ruby was getting in there and see what was inside.

     Riding closer and closer to the castle, one of the lesser keeps came into view, this one freshly painted a dark grey, the top of it a point into the sky, housing what looked like a lighthouse. It was Beacon, the University retrofitted from what had to be an expansive mansion and keep. From that main tower more buildings shot out with ornate grey roofing like the walls of a Castle, but instead of stone it was more buildings lined with windows. Perhaps dorms or classrooms. Each jutting out extension ended in a much smaller thick towers full of even more room and if that wasn't luxurious enough flying buttresses connected many of these massive halls. One of the towers was fast approaching and Ruby could only guess this was their stop.

     Yang drove them right through the entrance turning onto red plaza blocks which Ruby wasn't totally convinced she was allowed to do, but no one stopped them. Eventually this plaza ended in a tiny garden parking lot with a small fountain, a bench and a rather pretty woman in a black sleeveless vest over a nice crisp button down shirt. Despite the colder weather she wore white shorts, but long black thick stockings with cute white emblems to compensate. Other than that, a black scarf around her neck and long fingerless, but pretty stylish, gloves she didn't seem all that concerned with the cold. There alone she read a book with an Italian title Ruby couldn't quite make out. The noise of Bumblebee's engine didn't seem to rattle her, but once it stopped her sharp amber eyes looked up to them.

     "You're going to get in trouble parking in the teachers lot again," She said calmly putting closing her book and silently standing. Ruby was struck by how graceful she was in her motions, kind of like a cat. She was definitely a little seductive and Ruby most certainly pegged her for Yang's aforementioned "Italian friend" and her type.

     "Glynda would never, she loves me," Yang replied pulling off her helmet, it was a little surprising to see how quick Yang responded to her call, she wasn't the type to flip out over pretty much anyone, yet kicking herself off the bike Yang seemed absolutely giddy. "Oh! Blake, Blake this is my sister Ruby! Ruby this is Blake Belladonna." Yang pulled Ruby out in front of her like she was some sort of presented gift for Blake. Those amber eyes looked Ruby for a moment, the young crimson haired girl feeling that familiar "You are being judged" feel.

     "Nice to meet you," She barely managed, Ruby's silver eyes darting around but never quite matching Blake's. Ruby swallowed her own discomfort, heart pounding she pulled up to Blake, hand reached out, maybe a bit more robotically than Ruby hoped but ready to shake her hand. "My name is Ruby Rose."

     "Likewise. I'm Blake. Let's go you don't want to be late." Blake shook her hand a little uncomfortably. Ruby already pegged Blake not quite the touchy feely social type. "I've heard a lot about you Ruby. Sorry for your loss, but I think you'll like Beacon," she started, turning right around quickly as she headed into one of the wooden doors to this particular tower of Beacon.

     "It's okay, I'm just nervous. I uhh, I'm not so good with people." Ruby figured the key to making friends was being herself and being honest. As cliché as it sounded there was truth to it. Made only logical sense that anyone you actually wanted to spend time with should be the kind of people that actually liked you, not the paranoid social mess of trying hard to fit in. One of those things Ruby started really getting as she got older. Blake seemed to respond well to this, nodding though not saying much. Yang however could be heard running up to them, nearly ramming right into both of them.

     "You couldn't even speak to most if you wanted to Rubes." Yang laughed as she said it, her voice reverberating Ruby's embarrassment down the grey columned halls of Beacon. The inside was bigger than it looked like it should be, a white and grey color palette having clearly won the day during the design. It looked really Hellenistic, something Ruby thought was cool, matched how unworldly old this place had to be.

     "While people are a bit overrated, don't worry about Spanish. I still struggle with it, always preferred English and I do fine," Blake replied with a tired wry smile, something Ruby appreciated. Blake was strangely antisocial, yet really comfortable to be around, really easy for Ruby to understand why Yang and her hit it off.

     "Don't really get why, Italian is like the same thing," Yang cut in with a whistling tone to her voice. She threw her arms around both of them, a ball of blonde hair and wide smiles between Ruby and Blake now.

     "Depends on where you're from, Venetian is similar, but Roman is totally different," Blake answered gracefully ducking under Yang's arm and up the, had to be fake, marble staircase. Both Blake and Yang smiled at this, the familiar competitive look in Yang's eye ablaze. For whatever reason, Blake dodge under Yang was considered this a perfect invitation to a challenge of some sort. Ruby mused at asking if there was a bit of a romantic air between them.

     "And you're Venetian, still don't get it." Yang said running up to Blake on the stairs, but right before she reached the quick Blake ducked out into the hall and right in front of the lone door in the alcove.

     "And here we are," Blake decreed, kicking open the entrance with her heels. "Welcome to Beacon." The bang earned the eyes of everyone inside, highlighting Ruby in a bed of embarrassed read. Inside there were several tables and couches of different color sets facing the many whiteboards and TVs that lined the halls. It looked like a modernist living room fused with a classroom. There was a complete kitchen in right corner along the wall opposite the main TV. Doors on either side of the main room likely the foreign students dorm and the left was a cordoned off office marked Professora Goodwitch in one corner and a white board with the phrase '¡Bienvenido!' written in black. Near this board was a woman with platinum blonde hair and the greenest eyes Ruby had ever seen. Dressed in business attire fitting of a professor this was almost absolutely Professor Glynda Goodwitch. She looked stern at all of them, not impressed by Blake's showy entrance.

     "Sorry Glynda. I was just showing Ruby Rose around." Blake seemed earnestly apologetic, giving a slight bow to her professor. Goodwitch didn't seem pleased at all though and gave Blake a questioning look behind the rim of her glasses.

     "Miss Belladonna, sit down and don't think you can call me Glynda just because you're the most veteran here in the program." Blake took a deep breath, but nodded at this taking a seat on one of the many multi colored couches. "Ruby Rose? My name is Glynda Goodwitch, we were about to choose the primary language for the program this year. Seat wherever you like." That froze Ruby solid for a moment, she never liked being last to enter a classroom and take on the new responsibility of choosing who to sit by. She could pick the safe option, choosing to cut between Yang and Blake whom claimed a couch of their own. There was a group of two boys whom seemed nice enough, though that seemed a bit weird. Closer to the front alone at separate tables were two girls. One a pretty red head with a red bow in her hair with a green and tan dressed that matched her emerald eyes. The other girl was a strange sight if ever ruby saw one. Dressed in a blue bolero over a white dress was a girl with real life silver hair. Ruby had heard about that sort of stuff happening, people who had grey hair way sooner than when hair began to grow old and unhealthy, but she had never seen young woman with rich silver for hair. Sadly the silver girl was not warm when she caught Ruby's glace only registering her for a moment before turning away. The redhead was different though; she smiled and nodded Ruby over. Looked like Ruby's choice was made for her.

      "Hi I'm Penny, let's be friends!" The ginger girl spoke with a fairly heavy accent that sounded of a weird Scottish English hybrid, though Ruby was in no way an expert on British accents. She seemed nice though and had a really sweet smile. They were both at least partial redheads, though Ruby was a darker breed, still a bit of fate that they would be buddies.

      "Hi, I'm Ruby Rose..uhh… sure sounds great." Ruby felt her voice nearly crack, why did people seem to frighten her? Ruby wished she would just get better at this eventually. Though everyone seemed fairly hushed Goodwitch said nothing, instead began writing on the biggest whiteboard some sort of language table. Somewhere through the halls a pounding sound could be heard, the sound of rushing footsteps and dragged goods. Shockingly enough Ruby might not have been the last one to actually make it. This pounding grew louder, into a running rush, enough to stop Goodwitch in her writing and turn every head to the door. All that pounding came to a booming climax when a woman with the force of a battering ram smashed through the front door.

     "Is Lie Ren here?!" The girl seemed out of breath, small beads of sweat from the edges of her short cut fire red hair. She was dressed in a mix white and black vest ending in a pink skirt. She had aura of power to her, or maybe that was just being scared witless by her sudden and rather loud arrival. On her were several suitcases, probably one of the students though she seemed more interested in whoever Ren was than the foreign program. Goodwitch looked furious, but lacked the words to reply, actually everyone one seemed to, except of one of the two boys in the back whom seemed completely unphased by any of it.

     "Nora?" he asked, this boy with black hair and violet eyes, he seemed rather plan, if attractive, dressed in a green long sleeve shirt and fairly average white pants. The only thing that seemed super striking on him was the single streak of violet dye in his hair to match his eyes. Ruby had to assume he was Lie Ren and the other girl was Nora, for the moment he said her name she lit up a flame of excitement.

     "Ren, oh my god!" Nora ignored whatever indigent stares she got from Goodwitch and half the class, the only thing that seemed to exist to her was this Ren kid. It was like watching a weird romance movie with absolutely no context, which served to only make it more ridiculous when Nora drop all her goods to go for a full force tackle into Ren whose kind of scrawny form was truly ill prepared for this. Crashing into him caused even more noise Goodwitch seemed fit to pop a fuse. "Ren I didn't think you'd be so cute! Oh my god I can't believe I finally get to meet you!"

     "You must be Nora," Goodwitch started fairly politely, though her rage was really evident. "Now please sit down and behave yourself, your supposed to be an adult!"

     "Undskyld, I'm sorry Professor! I just haven't had a chance to see him ever before. We we've been sending each other mail since we were like eight!" Nora bowed repeatedly, a panicked apologetic mess, she seemed a bit more aware of herself now and Ruby decided she liked her. Anyone that weird was pretty earnest and it was kind of cute to watch.

     "Enough. Sit down and act your age." Goodwitch ended it there. After taking a moment she backed away from the whiteboard revealing a table of sorts. It listed the names of a bunch of languages and a spot for totals. First was Spanish. "Bienvenidos. ¿Quién de ustedes habla Español?" Ruby didn't even know what that meant, but hands all around her were raised. One of the girls in the back Ruby had not recognized with Brown hair did so, Blake and Yang did, next to Ruby Penny just shrugged, the silver girl up front raised her hand as well.

     "Français?" she asked next writing four down next to Spanish on the board. Ruby realized what it was then, a counter for who spoke the language. This was going to be a long embarrassing ride for Ruby, being incredibly language deficient. This was at least less popular, only the blonde boy next to Ren raised his arm, Blake and the silver girl.

     "Deutsch?" She asked writing a measly three down by French. This was an even more restricted category, the only ones who raised their hands were Nora and the silver woman again. Ruby felt a little smart actually knowing that meant German not Dutch, though again she had to keep her hand down. Knowing what it was and speaking it was a totally different thing.

     "Italiano?" This was just Blake, which was just impressive to see how many Blake knew, she was a smart girl. Though to top her the silver haired girl raised her thin pale arms again after a moment. _'holy cow, how many languages do you know?'_ It was just one of those things that made Ruby want to rethink her life choices. Perhaps she could have been as smart as this girl coming in.

     "Professor can we just skip to the part where English ends up winning?" Yang asked though it made both Blake and Goodwitch groan in frustration. Ruby got the idea that this was a common problem. After a sigh Goodwitch went to the very bottom where English sat alone.

     "English?" Everyone raised their hand, not mostly everyone, everyone. All ten students and of course silver girl whom was the first to raise her hand. A white haired odd beauty and a language savant. Some people just got blessed twice Ruby figured. It was really these moments where Ruby felt a little guilt that the entire world seemed to teach English as the second language and she couldn't even bother to pay attention to the two years of Spanish she had in high school.

     "Alright English it is. My name is Doctor Glynda Goodwitch. My doctorates are in language studies and origin. I speak the native language of every student on the program roaster so if you have any problems here go ahead and see me, we'll work it out. You are all, barring three, new students to Beacon and part of fresh effort to expand our student body to foreign students in and out of the E.U. Here in this program you will all share a private Spanish class with me at eight every morning and your programs will be catered to give you the most foreign friendly classes as well as setting your classes with other foreign language students. If you have any questions see me after, but now that everyone has arrived I feel it's time to introduce yourselves. I know most of you have already gotten to know your dorm mates, but to those not in our dorms or just arriving today let's start." Glynda pushed her glasses up as she finished her speech. Ruby decided she liked her too, seemed nice if a little scary.

     "Anyone want to go first?" Glynda offered when no one took up the role immediately. Out in the back as soon as the invitation was given Nora in the back jumped up waving her hand up excitedly. Goodwitch took a deep breath clearly not the biggest fan of bubbly people.

     "I'll go Professor!" she offered again hopping up and down excitedly when Goodwitch said nothing. She nodded yes and Nora beamed, jumping over one of the couches running up to the front of the class. She turned around with a twirl her skirt doing a nice spin with it. "I'm Nora Valkyrie and I'm from Copenhagen Denmark!. I'm a first year but I haven't picked a program yet. Look forward to hanging out with everyone." She had a big smile on her face and spoke faster than pretty much anyone Ruby knew, and that was coming from a girl who when she was comfortable spoke at a bullets pace. Ruby doubled her faith that she would get along with Nora.

     "I'm going to give it a go, wish me luck matie," Penny whispered softly over to Ruby who nodded with a smile. Penny was a little weird, but Ruby liked how jolly she was. Standing to take Nora's place Penny got a random hug from Nora who said something about team ginger but Ruby couldn't quite make it out, was cute though. Goodwitch cleared her throat behind them making Penny jump and rush back to center stage. "Howdy friends, I'm Penny! I'm in the Mechanical Engineering program, a first year. I was raised in a small town near Leeds, England, but wanted to go on an adventure instead of a university so I came here for both."

     "Leeds? Have you ever been to York?" the Blonde guy asked in the back a little meekly, he looked a little embarrassed realizing he had interrupted Penny, though she just smiled and nodded yes. Goodwitch though looked back with a raised eye at him with just a bit of a wry smile.

     "I believe you have just nominated yourself," Goodwitch declared. The boy stood up taking his place at the front, he seemed nervous, which Ruby totally got. He was dressed pretty simply, a nice button down white shirt and blue jeans and just a pair of sneakers. He didn't seem to find his words at first, instead her just shifted feet and scratched his mess of blonde hair. "Uhh I'm Jaune Arc, from Orleans France. I'm in the History Program and a second year. I like old stuff, that's about it for me," he gave a shrug and a smile as he finished. Ruby thought she'd get along well with Jaune too.

     When Penny sat down by Ruby and Jaune started going away Ruby felt a need to be brave. This was the opportunity to really show herself and reach out into the group. Heart pounding, almost quaking as she sat Ruby took a moment to collect herself before standing. This moment just happened to take long enough for the other red head to pass her completely and start.

     "Hello, my name is Pyrrha Nikos, I'm from a small village in Lakonia, Greece." She was a really pretty girl and easily taller than everyone in the room, very muscular too. She had lovely dark auburn hair, about Ruby's natural color when she didn't treat it to bring out the black, but tied back it looked a cool, enough so for Ruby to consider maybe getting a pony tail if she ever grew it out. Pyrrha wore a sleeveless light brown top and red miniskirt that perfectly matched her hair. She had this pleasant soothing smile to her and spoke very mild mannered. "I took a year in England at our sister University Sanctum, but for my second I decided to transfer here. I'm a Physical Fitness major and hope to involved in our female kick boxing club." At that Yang nearly exploded in her seat raising her hand and giving a big whistle. She was the president of the female kickboxing club

     "Yang, you're an aid, but I'm sure you should introduce yourself. More properly." Goodwitch started, but with all of Ruby's idiot courage she built up, she was not going to be passed by so quickly. Well at least not again.

     "Professor GoodWitch may I please go next!" Ruby could feel herself sweating as she said it. That was not good, who sweated forever just announcing yourself to a dorm room. Well maybe what was freaking her out was interrupting Goodwitch, a really dumb idea on her part. The professor looked a little mad, but nodded letting her go first. Ruby a mess of shot nerves and piles of other locked away messed up emotion stood in front of their dorm group a measly ten people.

     "Um, my name is Ruby Rose. I'm really happy to meet you guys. I'm from Portland Oregon, which is a place in America. So my mom passed away recently so I moved in with my dad to go here." Realizing perhaps popping the dead mom thing this early might have been a bit uncalled for Ruby put on her best smile and tried again. "But I'm excited to start! I'm a first year so I haven't decided a major, err I mean a program. I'm thinking of doing creative writing, but I'm not sure. Most of us are looking for a bit of an adventure so let's have it together!" Penny smiled at Ruby from the back, but in front the silver girl rolled her eyes as soon as Ruby admitted her undecided status.

     "Well Miss Schnee, I see we have another volunteer." Apparently Goodwitch had caught that roll of the eyes and didn't approve. Silver hair nodded politely standing and taking Ruby's place. She had this centered perfect stance, back straight and chin up, kind of made Ruby look like a bit of a slouch, but the redhead found it impressive. Walking up was the first time she had a good look at the girls face, noticed how pale it was and more oddly how a thin jagged pink scar cut down her eye. Ruby couldn't lie and say the she really didn't want to hear the story of how exactly that little line got on her face. It wasn't repulsive; in fact it was a little...right. She wore it with grace Ruby supposed. Her mom had a few things like that, she used to say scars look cool on people only when you stop hiding it or being tawdry about it and to her credit she was neither.

     "My name is Weiss Schnee, I was raised in a private manor in west Germany near Cologne. I was in another university in Austria for a different program until recently. Due to conflicts with credits I'll be returning to a first year here in the business administration program. I'm sure you are all the best at what you and I look forward to working with you." Ruby really didn't know a lot of people with that much pure confidence her age. Some like Penny oozed comfort and ease, but confidence and authority not so much. It was something that felt a little intimidating along with appealing in this young woman, dressed in her bolero and heeled boots with a sideways ponytail hung up by a red ribbon to just pouring out authority.

     The rest of the class came up one at a time after that. Ren ended up in the medical program and reinforced that he did in fact know Nora though it was the first time they had actually met for real. Was kind of a cute thing. Another girl came up dressed in a cute brown sweater that matched her long brown hair and a just adorable red plaid skirt. Her name was Velvet Scarlatina, an astrophysics major from Canberra, which as it turns out is the actual capital of Australia. Blake and Yang both went up, though Ruby already knew they were third years and that Yang was in culinary arts. It was good news to hear Blake was in literature studies so Ruby and her could share classes in the future. Assuming she did finally declared her major or program or whatever they called it here.

     Once the announcements stopped, Goodwitch started taking each student back in the office teaching them how to register for courses. Waiting Ruby sat for a bit with Penny, discovering their mutual affections for old fairy tales and fairly large collection of Legos when they were little. Eventually though Penny was pulled away from the group. Alone Ruby stirred. She thought about talking to Blake, but she was busy conversing with Velvet whom was apparently a friend of hers. Yang was off talking Pyrrha up about the kickboxing club something Ruby was less inclined to be a part of. Nora, Ren and Jaune all laughed in a corner leaving only Weiss, sitting at a table working out of what looked like a math book. _'Studying? Classes haven't even started?'_

     "Hi, I'm Ruby nice to meet you Weiss." Ruby had to take a moment to approaching the silver haired German girl. She was a little intimidating, but Ruby believed that if she did so carefully she could recycle whatever had messed up the start of this. Weiss halted her pen, taking just second before turning to look at Ruby. She scanned Ruby quick and the feeling of being judged was present just as before.

     "You're the girl whose mother died," Weiss replied her expression formal and rough for such a pale girl. Ruby must have frowned at that, well she had to, because Weiss' manner softened if just a little. "For what it's worth I am sorry for your loss." She seemed sincere if disinterested. Ruby didn't feel exactly better, but she did feel a little more hopeful.

     "It's okay, I was wondering if we could be friends?" Ruby asked feeling more and more like a little kid. She had to be more direct and sound a bit more adult. "I mean I saw you roll your eyes at me, so I'm sorry for whatever I guess I did." Ruby had meant to try and sound assertive, but it came off unnaturally and devolved to a meek apology.

     "Why are you undecided if you want to be in creative writing? Do you dislike actually writing?" It was a really potent question, one Weiss asked with the most brutally direct method possible. Ruby tried her best not to be discouraged, but this girl seemed a far bit more difficult than Ruby anticipated.

     "I just. Once I make that choice, I'm like stuck with it. I want to; I just don't know if I can?" Ruby tried to answer honestly. A lot of things held her back on this. Fear of failure was a big one, fear that she might get there and burn herself out without anything to fall back on was another. She was use to making such small unimportant decisions, one her mom could pull her out of at any moment. Now that support both literally and figuratively was gone. Still that answer wasn't suffice enough to Weiss, and in a lot of ways not to Ruby either.

     "That's either lazy or childish. If you're afraid you'll fail get over it and work harder. Work hard enough and you'll succeed. Waiting is just stupid," Weiss was jarring or more her words were. It felt painful and brought a frown to Ruby's face. Worst was it didn't make Ruby feel like Weiss was picking on her, it felt like she was a little right. Not completely and not enough to be mean, but just a little for the sting to stick. Weiss noticed this and again seemed to again grow a little soft. Maybe she was about to rephrase it and say something nicer, but the silver haired girl never got a chance.

     "Weiss Schnee, I knew when you moved in I recognized you. You're Heiress to Schnee Oil and Schnee Financing aren't you?" It was Blake walking over with Velvet. She had the usual blank look on her face. Ruby had no idea what her intention, but Blake cut in front of Ruby and whatever she said made Weiss smile.

     "Yes I am. I'm surprised you know that. I'm use to fairly well known in German, but here few have heard of me." Weiss spoke with a little pride holding up her chin and raising her hand to Blake. She didn't take it.

     "Don't listen to her Ruby. She's was born rich off the stolen resources from developing nations. She's never had to worry about her future," Blake's turn clenched Weiss right up, her expression heated in anger though her skin kept a frosty pale. Ruby appreciated what Blake was trying to do, but that definitely turned today into exactly what she didn't want. Despite all her optimism, this was definitely something that needed fixing another day.

     "Did you just? I have never!" Weiss started, but Ruby never heard her finish. Duel gingers pulled her away; Penny's plot to team up with Nora a complete success.

     "One rescue free of charge," Nora laughed as she said it, the scene of Blake and Weiss arguing in the back the whole thing a bright noisy end to Orientation. "Nice to meet you Ruby, if we can get Pyrrha us redheads will rule the Dorm!" Nora pumped her fist in celebration. Ruby did giggle at that, Nora was definitely a charmer. Penny mouthed sorry to Ruby, clearly this was not the first time this sort of thing had happened with Weiss. After all they had been in the dorms before maybe someone else had tried.

     "What's with Weiss? Did I do something wrong?" Ruby asked. It was one of the only failures. She had made three new friends, would make more, but there was a mistake to. One, not quite enemy but definitely not thrilled with her, classmate. Still there was tomorrow and the day after, things could be fixed. For now Ruby couldn't help but feel alright with this, standing together with gingers from across the world. Even as Ruby worried about Weiss, she smiled content.

     "Don't worry about her Friend, welcome to Beacon."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *** (old ff dot net notes) New Choice is finally out :D So excited to start working on this project! Definitely one of the freshest things I'm doing, especially with how super serious MV and AV have gotten and to use more characters like Penny and Nora. So much so I'm considering cheating and working on chapter 3 of choice before finishing the next chapters of AV and MV, just so we start getting into the meat and potatoes of this! :D Thanks so much for the big early support everyone I hope Iiked this chapter. Also thanks for all the reviews, each helps so much and I hope you all continue to do so! :D
> 
> Sorry for the problematic grammar and stuff, my beta was indisposed due to a bunch of real life stuff so I had to do this blind. If you notice any mistakes please PM them. (Leaving them in the reviews is rather embarrassing) and I hope to be better in the future. Also everyone wish Lazykatze good luck on her research paper.


	3. Nine-thirty to Eleven

**Ruby Rose**

     There is nothing more embarrassing than to speak a language you don't even know how to pretend to speak. It was already something Ruby never felt comfortable doing, always afraid to look like an idiot around her new friends. Now doing it in Spanish made it worse. Imagine constructing a sentence piece by piece and not ever really understanding what it was leaving the top of the tongue. That was all exacerbated by how much better most of the program was at it. She wasn't jealous, per se, she wasn't even the worst. Nora apparently didn't know a word of Spanish; she just wanted to go to the same school as Ren. As such Ruby could milk just a bit of her dark Spanish history to keep from being the worst, but that just made her feel bad for her new Danish friend.

      The actual course was fairly simple. They all gathered together and went through the alphabet and basic practices of the class. Ruby found herself sitting next to Penny throughout the first class on one of the multicolored couches, trying to give Yang some space after all her hard work chauffeuring Ruby around. It was fairly interesting and laid back to have such a small class, only ten students when combined with the professor's assistant. All the little subdivisions of friends found their spot in the dorm lobby to do whatever was requested for them. Some early vocal drills closed them out in which Weiss was most adamant about being chosen. It was no shocker why, she was perfect at it. She was kind of a teacher's pet, but Ruby found it more impressive than annoying.

     Some of the changes between high school and university struck her as soon as class closed. No homework was directly assigned. Apparently all the books and homework was assigned online, along with all the papers and projects due, one of the many things she was supposed to learn on her own. This offered a level of weird freedom where Ruby could finish as much of the class as she wanted as soon as she wanted, which seemed to make her less inclined to do so.

     The next big change was as soon as class was over. The program students weren't a cohesive entity, instead many of them went off to do their own things. Blake apparently went off to work at some part-time job; others, like Yang, went to classes in totally different buildings; and Ren just went to nap in his dorm room, apparently more of a night person than a morning person. Ruby found herself alone in the dorm lobby until Penny would come back around eleven AM. She spread herself along the slightly curved couch of one section of the Foreign Language dorm lobby. Well, she was mostly alone. Weiss Schnee had no classes either. She instead sat alone near a whiteboard, working on what appeared to be physics problems.

     For a while Ruby pondered getting up, brushing off her black band shirt and hoodie, make the short walk, and try talking to her again. She wanted to, wanted to badly after kind of having everything blow up the day before, but Ruby found herself fussing with her now near brick-of-a-phone's Gameboy emulator, trying to get some bootleg Pokémon game to work. No real reason to conserve the battery, after all, it's not like she could call anyone with it. That and thinking about distractions like her three other courses made the awkward more bearable. She had the late class in Anglophonic Lit, luckily with Blake, before that a university level Calculus with Penny and a few of the others. Her next class was physics, her preferred science of all required sciences. She would have it with Penny and Velvet apparently, though it only dawned on her that they weren't the only ones. If Weiss was doing physics work, she had a physics class, and if she had a physics class it would be the Foreign Student Program class. This awkward silence was going to last from nine thirty till eleven.

     That was unless Ruby broke it. The thought imported some courage to her, for she was standing up, her recently acquired charmander left on the wayside in search of greener pastures. Weiss gave off an unapproachable aura despite seeming completely obvious to Ruby. Still, the red head pushed forward, brushing her hair a little bit as she walked towards Weiss. Honestly, she had no real explanation as to why Weiss seemed scary. She in actuality was just a pretty short and thin girl in a black dress with white flowers along the shoulders. The bow that held up her lopsided pony tail was still the same red ribbon. A pretty cute style, actually. Up close she had the finest handwriting even with dry erase markers, something that was kind of suppose to be messy. Ruby could see why, she had such dainty delicate fingers. Now dainty was a good word for her even if she scared the bejesus out of Ruby.

     "Hey Weiss… whatcha working on?" Ruby knew, but just walking up all in her face asking about her kinematic equations was a bit of Yang-like strong-arm approach, something Ruby never had the charm to even attempt. Weiss stopped her work, the dry erase marker eased to a pause on the symbol for momentum. Just a look up, her blue ice eyes peering for a moment before returning to the task at hand, some question dealing with elastic collision.

     "Oh, it's _you._ " Weiss gave an audible sigh, clearly not intending to be interrupted during her work. It made Ruby question exactly what she thought she was doing here. "Studying physics. My next class is at twelve thirty." Ruby felt the same usual social pressure magnified, but she had to go for it. She already looked like an idiot, so there was no backing down. Nervous as hell, Ruby sat herself down at Weiss' table just opposite of her. Best spot possible, next to her was too close and a little personal space pushing and a chair away felt too on purpose. Just opposite from was a perfect balance. All was good.

     "We have the same class!" Ruby announced maybe a bit too excitedly. Weiss hardly reacted, though she did pause for a moment. Whatever hope Ruby had for a response dried up rather quick as the Heiress just continued working, hands busy jotting and amending her own calculations. "So, why are you studying? We don't know what the professor will cover." Ruby just wanted to keep the conversation going no matter how weirdly frankensteinian it might end up as a consequence.

     "You'll never get ahead if you wait for them to feed you information. I'm studying the basics ahead of time. It'll put me ahead." Weiss smiled with a sense of pride and self-satisfaction. She clearly took pride in being the best of a class, which Ruby kind of got. It was a little bit of a braggart's attitude, though she hardly knew Weiss enough to call her arrogant. Still, everyone needed to be proud of something, being really good at school sounded like a pretty cool one to be.

     "I don't know. Isn't the point of class to learn?" Ruby questioned, not really meaning to discredit, but trade her philosophy on it. Weiss took it a little more personally, rewarding the question with a leer of sorts. Maybe questioning her wasn't the best, though she was still talking, that was a plus. Hopefully with a bit more effort Ruby could build a friendship out of something more than arguing.

     "The point of class is to prove you know it. It's why we have grades." That made a certain amount of sense, though a bit more cynical than Ruby hoped. She would like to believe if everyone gave it their all, there would be no need for grades just learning without fear of consequence or reward. A little idealistic, but it sounded nice. Ruby didn't say anything back, lost in contemplation for a moment when Weiss asked the question. "Don't you and your friend hate me or something equally as stupid?" Ruby feared this might be the source of their real issue. Yesterday's shenanigans.

     "I don't hate you… Blake just thought we were fighting, I think. She's really cool, I think if you two talked you'd get along," Ruby offered, wanting that sort of ending. Blake was pretty great, though Ruby had known her for just over a day. She was clever, and actually really nice beyond the initial don't-care act. In fact, trade a detached attitude with a really irritated one and the two of them were pretty interchangeable in terms of initial approachability.

     "I don't think so. I know the type," Weiss countered, tossing the proposal aside. She sounded for once a little more open to Ruby, though she didn't appreciate the negative attitude about Blake. Still, Weiss seemed a lot more at ease, which put Ruby at ease. "I thought you were here to start a fight."

     "No, I just want to be friends," Ruby reinforced earnestly. Weiss still seemed suspicious; her lips in a disapproving flat line, but Ruby could swear her eyes showed a bit of curiosity, at least in the idea of making friends. "Wanna study together?" Ruby offered, hoping to poke some of that initial curiosity. For whatever it counted, it seemed to work a little bit.

     "There are some vector equations over there if you really must." Weiss kept up with the kind of big barrier act, but she seemed at least a little happy to have someone to work with. Probably just appreciated Ruby's initiative. Either way, Ruby proclaimed operation ' _make Weiss kind of like you_ ' an absolute success. Well there was a bit of a hiccup.

     "What's a vector?" Fair enough question. Ruby wasn't the smartest person in the world, but no one she had ever known spent a lot of time talking about vectors. In fact this had been the first time she had heard the word outside of sci-fi movies and anime pseudoscience. She figured it was sort of a made up thing, like flux capacitors and stuff. Weiss on the other hand considered it a very stupid question, her eyes raised in concern, that intricate scar highlighted on her expression of honest surprise.

     "Something with magnitude and direction… how much physics do you know?" she asked, illuminating just how much Ruby was out of her league.

     "I took a class in high school once." Ruby laughed at herself nervously, her silver eyes darting around trying to find something less obvious to look at than Weiss' scar.

     "You're a bit of a dolt, aren't you?" Weiss asked, trying to sound tough, but Ruby just laughed. Straight up belly laughed. She didn't mean to laugh at Weiss, but something about being called a dolt was funnier than it was insulting.

     "Dolt? Do people actually say that?" Ruby asked when her lungs would finally let her. She didn't mean to make fun of Weiss, but Ruby had been speaking English for a very long time, done a lot of stupid things, but never in her life was she called a dolt, especially with Weiss accent making this cute, such a foreign, prissy, and proper combination. She felt like she was talking to a lady from the eighteen hundreds Germanic states.

     "Yes, people actually say that!" Weiss shouted, her cheeks turning red from what Ruby though had to be a potent concoction of embarrassment and frustration. Ruby didn't like making Weiss feel bad, but watching that helped her be more comfortable, see her as more of a person than a solid wall of intimidating ice. People were less frightening when you proved they were in fact people.

     "I didn't mean it badly. It's kind of like a cool, like unique thing… I thought it was cool," Ruby backpedaled as honestly as she could while keeping honest. The last thing Ruby wanted was to make Weiss hate her even more, though saying what she did felt a little embarrassing. How was talking to girls such a pain when Ruby already was one. It should have given her, like, home field advantage or something.

     "Are you real?" Weiss asked, unsure on how to respond. She seemed to like the compliment, but maybe the sting of the insult hadn't left yet. Still, she was mostly disarming, not quite as aggressive as before.

     "Umm, pretty sure, yeah…" Ruby replied with a smile, confident in her existence. Somewhere during all of this Weiss had stopped working on physics and focused on Ruby. At least she had her attention.

     "I mean are you trying to mess with me," Weiss clarified, not totally free of suspicion. Ruby wondered for a moment. What could make someone so suspicious for goodwill and friendliness?

     "No… I just think you're kind of interesting… wanted to be friends." Ruby didn't really mind repeating it, though she wasn't sure what Weiss wanted to prove this was earnest. "I'm not a particularly tricky person," Ruby tacked on adding her best good natured smile for measure, even if that just meant trying to beam from behind her red tinted hair. Weiss took to her best friendship smile with a slight sigh and some mumbled German Ruby couldn't really make out so well. A silence followed for a moment, neither of them stirring in the moment. Eventually with enough silence for the both of them, Weiss sat closer to Ruby, pushing a sheet of paper towards her.

     "Well, you're of no use if you can't even use vectors. Here, I'll show you, but you better not expect this sort of treatment every day. I won't bother with a liability." Ruby nodded in agreement, enjoying her moment of success.

     It continued like that for a while. Weiss teaching Ruby bits and pieces of physics, mapping out reality into diagrams of forces, vectors, and numbers. How to manipulate everything with perfect right triangles and mix matched formulas. It felt more like the two of them were playing puzzle games than studying, and despite Weiss' critical moments and all around humorless nature, Ruby found it fun to do together. There was an added benefit of surprising Weiss, too.

     Soon enough Ruby was able to catch on. She was not the smartest person, but she could learn quickly, quick enough that Ruby began catching mistakes and solving the myriad of mathematical puzzles, pictures, and problems at almost the same rate as Weiss. She had the edge, of course, a bigger expert on this stuff than Ruby was, but as soon as she started catching up it turned into a race. Instead of figuring out puzzles together, they versed each other, trying to outsmart their respected partner. Ruby didn't care much about winning, though it was fun to try. Weiss most certainly did care though, flustered and surprised to have anything like this sort of challenge out of Ruby. Definitely made studying less tedious and annoying.

     Eventually this gave way to a certain amount of silliness, cracking sarcastic insults and the occasional silly pun whenever someone was about to make a conceptual mistake. Weiss hated that at first, though Ruby thought she enjoyed having someone to fight on level with. She did most certainly hate the click of a tongue Ruby would make whenever Weiss made a mistake. Eventually, feeling a hint of evil Ruby did it when Weiss started doing things right, sending the silver haired girl into a mad chase for a mistake that never even existed. Ruby felt awful after a minute, quickly confessing her trickster ways. Weiss rewarded her with a couple of markers and erasers thrown at her face as well as comments, like dunce and dolt tossed around in equal measure. All in all, Ruby just had fun like that. It was nice to hang out and do school stuff with someone for once. Put a lot of bad stuff and stress on the wayside, to be dealt with later.

     By the end of it they were out of Weiss' printed out review questions, the board covered in depictions of car crashes, air drops, fired cannons, and little werewolf heads Ruby replaced her Xs with for funzies. The tally Weiss was keeping marked a Schnee victory in the end by at least five points. Ruby remembered it being much closer than that, but she lodged no complaint. Weiss could have a landslide victory if she wanted; Ruby was content to just have a new friend. After all, Weiss was pretty good, so what did it matter if it was by five points or by two she won?

     "Fine, fine, Weiss, you win. You are pretty great at this after all. I mean you're like perfect at everything," Ruby remarked in half well-meaning flattery and half honesty. After all, outside of maybe being nicer, she did seem good at everything. Language savant and gifted in both math and science. Ruby bet if she asked Weiss she could name off the greats of philosophy and political treatise. The wonders of the kind of education wealth could buy, not to say of course Weiss earned her smarts without a lot of hard work and studying.

     "Hardly, I'm not perfect, not yet at least. If I was perfect you wouldn't have stood a chance." Ruby meant what she said pretty innocently, but Weiss took it more to heart than she would have ever hoped. Maybe perfect was like a trigger word for her, because soon enough she was at it again, looking for more work.

     "Still really good, I mean you're better at math than me. Plus, like, you're Spanish and English are really strong," Ruby argued, feeling a little guilty for setting off this perfectionist twitch in Weiss. Still appealing to her ego, Ruby saw a smile on Weiss' lips, if only for a moment. It was an impressively cute sort of smile, even if she hid it too much.

     "Only due to practice. I had the last ten years to learn English and the last six months to learn Spanish once I knew I was coming here. Nothing particularly special about it, just work ethic." Work ethic she was most certainly proud of, chin held high, a reverse from the kind of low pride she had a moment ago.

     "How did you manage that in six months? I spent two years doing it and I have no idea how to speak anything," Ruby asked in actual interest. Maybe she had a big secret. After all, six weeks for an entire language was astounding. Whatever the secret, Ruby wouldn't mind knowing it in the least. She had to learn soon, or Yang's mom would start getting really mad, assuming she was not already totally mad at Ruby for just being.    

     "There are twenty four hours in a day, think about how much time that is. Question is what are you wasting them on?" Weiss had a sharpness about her when she said it, a natural lecturer, though Ruby didn't mind it much at all. She wasn't totally wrong after all, discipline like that was hard to find for sure.

      Ruby was about to say something, when her stomach disagreed in heavy protest, growling like a beast from the depths, hungry for the nation's supply of sandwiches and sweets. It occurred in that shiny moment to her that she had skipped breakfast, and worse than that had no means of getting lunch, no money, nothing packed. Brilliant planning on her part. Ruby felt a little embarrassed, and Weiss just rolled her eyes without a hint of surprise, like she could sense Ruby's stomachs rude interruption of their study time together.

     "Go eat; we can study when you come back. Those noises aren't very becoming," Weiss ordered, crossing her arms in indignation of the growling maw inside of Ruby. A very irritated best for sure.

     "I, uhhh, don't have any money…" Well this was terribly embarrassing, showing up the poor starving girl in the dorms, not to mention the added bonus of being hungry all day on top of looking really poor. Ruby tried to laugh it off, scratching her head to try and be more casual. Weiss wasn't buying it. After giving her the same eye she had all day, she stood, turning and sending the dress a flutter while she walked back into her dorm room, the largest single room in the place.

     A moment passed and Ruby feared she had been abandoned, alone in her little corner of whiteboards, funny drawings and math problems. Could a little bit of a loud hungry stomach be really worth walking out on someone? Weiss was such an intriguing and rather aggressive person, but for some reason Ruby wanted to be her friend so absurdly badly. To think skipping Monday breakfast would end up being the bane to her perfect plan to win the silver girl's best friend position. Perhaps life would have been better becoming a Pokémon master for the last three hours. At least it seemed like that if only for a moment.

     Shuffling came from beyond the white dorm door that was marked _Weiss Schnee_. Ruby thought about going in there and seeing if she was in some sort of trouble, but as soon as Ruby found the courage the door opened with Weiss pulling out a boxed lunch from what appeared to be the sushi place on campus. For a moment Ruby feared Weiss meant to torture her by just slowly eating the whole thing in front of her, but the girl had two sets of fine plates, far nicer than anything that should be brought to a dorm room, and an extra pair of actual silver silverware she brought along to accompany the cups and a pot of chilled ice coffee.

     "I bought it before class this morning, the food is freshest then. I have my own fridge to keep it that way," Weiss explained as she set up the table napkins, silverware, and plates, pouring out ice coffee for both of them, the rich brown looking drink seeming to be like a murky chocolate milk. Opening the case, the selection was more expensive and rich than Ruby would normally have gotten, the sushi pieces some sort of fish wrapped in multicolored rice to make some sort of imagery. Weiss put a section up for herself, splitting the rolls and sides in half between them. She even brought out fine chopsticks with fabric tops.

     ' _Wait, does that mean the silverware is just for show?'_ Being wealthy is very, very strange.

     "You can have half, exactly half. Anymore and Ruby, you will most certainly regret it." Weiss didn't have to say a damn thing, the space between their portions was a better no man's land to Ruby than any front of any war, ever. She was happy snatching up whatever portions she could onto her plate, not even making use of the different sauces of which she could not even hope to name.

     "Thank you, Weiss… you're awesome," Ruby replied happy to dig in, the flavors a little foreign to her, but kind of nice. She had never really had sushi before, so new things were totally a plus. Frequent Chinese did enough to teach Ruby how to use chopsticks, though, and her mom filled in some of the fine eating etiquette. Weiss had even better manners, though, each motion almost creepily proper and stilted.

     "Don't celebrate yet. It's not for free," Weiss mentioned sipping her iced tea between a rather small bite of a sushi roll. Her eating was a far pace slower than Ruby's, whom was used to competing with Yang and her mom over dinner portions.

     "Oh…" Ruby could only voice, almost dead stopping where she was. She had no job, and while her dad promised to pay for everything… asking for money was not Ruby's style. Looked like she was going to have to.

     "You will be paying me back." Weiss looked at Ruby for a second, watching Ruby pause looking down, silver eyes on a sushi roll she refused to eat in fear of debt. It made the silver haired girl grimace pushing the plate more towards Ruby, pushing her to eat. "When you can get a job, whenever in the future that is of course. Schnee's collect our debt, but we are not heartless."

     'So not at all?' Ruby almost said, but she knew Weiss was just saving face. Her gesture was still sweet, so she enjoyed eating, taking slower bites to match her hostess' pace. The food was lovely, even if the ice tea was a bit more bitter taste than she wanted from her chocolate milk look-alike.

     "So why did you move to Spain? You said something about Austria during your speech?" Ruby asked just trying to start up conversation. Weiss paused her eating, as if to think for just a moment.

     "I was near graduating at a music academy there. I had to change my program to one my academy didn't offer. Choice was here or Germany. I chose here." Weiss had a fairly rigid tone as she said it, clearly a subject she didn't want to pursue further, though one certainly did. For some reason Ruby felt it had to do with family. No one had been there for her when her mom went away. Maybe Weiss needed that.

     "Want to talk about it?" Ruby offered, to which Weiss just shook her head no, ending that line of questioning. Why she left Austria, why she wouldn't go back to Germany, all talk for another time. Though it did leave one less major question. "How old are you?"

     "Twenty-one. Why do you ask?" Ruby felt herself go wide eyed.

     "You're three years older than me?! But you're, like, me sized." Ruby nearly bit her own tongue out trying to stop herself, but the thought was out and Weiss turned red. Clearly a bit of a size complex in there, whether height or chest. It could be either. Ruby just was stupid enough to bring it up.

      "Ruby, I will rip the food right back out of you for that!" Weiss stood at the table, in complete refusal to accept her height, standing right over Ruby bending over her to make it more intimidating. The heeled boots she wore certainly helped. "I'll have you know I am a perfectly ordinary size for a woman my age! In fact, plenty of people envy a petite form like mine!"

     "No, no, you're gorgeous! I didn't mean to make you mad! I'm small too, we're like perfectly cute sized!" Ruby replied, waving her arms back in forth in an attempt to build a wall between them. Whatever she said seemed to work a little, though Weiss was still fuming. The better distraction was the dorm lobby door swinging open.

     "Hi friend!" It was Penny, running full speed from the entrance to her bedroom, a loud thump as she shut the door. Weiss and Ruby both looked at each other with mutual shared confusion. That was until the door slammed back open and Penny was strutting in with her three drinks that looked like root beers.

     "I forgot how much I hated school in the morning. Here, I have drinks for everyone!" Penny marched her way over and tossed one to Ruby and Weiss, popping open her own before taking a sip and sliding her arms around Ruby in a hug. She was most certainly the touchy-feely type, which Ruby adored. It was nice to have warm hugs sometime in the day.

     "I don't think I will today, Penny. We have class in an hour," Weiss noted sliding her root beer back to Penny. She just shrugged, still hugging Ruby and letting her chin rest on her red headed companion.

      "What's all this?" Penny asked, clearly talking about the problems all strung up along the board. A fairly impressive sight, Ruby thought as she toyed with the bottle, its twist off tip giving her just a little more trouble than it should have.

     "We were competing over who could solve more physics problems correctly. I used the blue marker, her red. I won by 5 points," Weiss explained, proudly sipping her ice coffee once again. The damn top finally came off and the bottle's contents were free to be enjoyed. Taking a sip it was fairly cool, but murky tasting, with this weird hint of something else. Something else, but familiar.

     "What is this?"

      "Beer I bought at the school pub. Not the best, but it tries." Ruby felt her heart sink a little, the bit of her goodie-two-shoes attitude screaming in the back of her head. She could recognize the acidic little extra bit to the overall mix. It was the same taste she had at Christmas parties when her mom broke out the wine. It was the taste of alcohol.

      "Penny, I can't drink this!" Yang would have laughed at Ruby if she had heard her say that. Weiss saved her that indignity by just ignoring it. Penny didn't, laughing heartily, sipping again on her beer labeled all in Spanish.

     "You're not in America any more, sweetheart. You're eighteen, a free woman!" Penny announced when she stopped her chuckling. She was still sweet enough to give her a tighter hug and whisper, "You don't have to drink it," in Ruby's ear. Ruby took that as an allowance to put the bottle down. She didn't feel like embracing new horizons before her first day of physics. Yep, a real goodie-two-shoes. "Weiss, you only won by two points… actually, you tied. You see number five and seven? You marked them right, but matie you used the wrong friction coefficient!" Penny found that funny, Weiss most certainly did not.

     "No way, that can't be right!" Weiss shouted angrily at the red headed duo. Her cheeks were red with embarrassment, and looking over, shocked at how quickly Penny worked through all the problems, she was right. The friction coefficient was off, using static instead kinetic friction. They had tied.

     "You did it friend. Penny has your back," the goofy ginger whispered with her usual cheery smile. Ruby was really glad to have her as a new friend. Twice now she had come to her rescue. This time though it undid more progress than it helped. Ruby couldn't blame the sweet heart for trying.

     "Uhh… Weiss," Ruby started pulling the silver heiress away from the board and onto her. Ruby decided to just go for the gold, no point in holding back now. Throw down the glove and keep this friend train rolling. _'Do it Ruby,'_ she whispered to herself a little afraid of how much she was biting off with this one. "Let's do a rematch. Just like before, nine thirty to eleven. We can study together like a thing."

     "I'll win next time, Ruby."

     She was absolutely sure Weiss would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***(old notes)And here we are, Chapter 3 and we get to watch some longer interactions between characters. I hope my slightly older Ruby meshes with everybody nicely. Kind of weird starting all the way with the beginning with these two. For once I meet my due date for a release! (scratch that one day off, but for important school stuff!) I'm so happy! :D
> 
> I want to thank Lazykatze for the edits, I can be a real annoying bitch (Note: Tells me that the chapter is done and asks for edits, no bitchness _ -Kat) about getting edits in and she was lovely enough to work with me through the process. So everyone give her a shout out and read her fic Layers of Ice or Church storm if you're a madoka fan. (on FF)
> 
> See you in two weeks! :D Buh-bye


	4. Foot in Her Mouth

**Yang Xiao Long**

     What was the meaning of a fight? Yang felt like she could remember a hundred people saying they knew the answer and a hundred answers that were wrong. Some had told her that it was an expression of her anger, pent up rage that could only be unleashed in real combat. If that was true, why did she feel like smiling when a strike landed or want to laugh when the match got truly intense? Others had told Yang that she needed something to be proud of, that it made her feel powerful in a powerless society. She wasn't so sure of that as well. Yang couldn't remember a moment she felt powerless. She was a natural in her

     prime and the best. Some said it was because the blonde must have been picked on in school, but again this was false. Yang had many friends, who often complimented her about how beautiful she was. Her confidence was unbroken and remained as such all her life. Her mother claimed she was just a violent person, but it wasn't about the violence. She didn't need blood and gore, she wanted struggle, intensity, and she almost always made friends whether she won or lost, though she rarely walked away defeated.

     Blake had once suggested that it wasn't about anything at all particularly. Something about it all being sound and fury, signifying nothing. It was very close, but missed something intrinsically important: the enigmatic value. When Yang was asked this question she often would say it was just the kick, the adrenaline, the moment of which she was just a junky, but something about that was just a hollow place holder. It didn't scratch the surface and could not be replaced with a roller coaster ride or a dangerous night in the town.

     The best answer Yang had ever heard, the answer of her father, was the concept of Dao. The way of things, as he liked to put it. He once said that everyone had their inner Dao, or way, which when found was their natural state, one that resulted in Wu Wei, or effortless action. The religious mumbo-jumbo was not something Yang believed in and neither was any of the meditation or Zen stuff, but the concept of Dao seemed to be true regardless of any faith. The idea of this being her natural state, the core of what was her held true. Something beyond choice was definitely in her, resulting in the effortless action of a match. Yang lived nearly every day in the thinly padded room, knocking back bags, honing her form, exercising and building up for a fight because it was her Dao, her way of which there could be no other.

     Now that same Dao brought her into the sparring arena, just a floor of gymnastic mats and agreed on borders in some small shared space that was the club room. It was what made her stand pumped and alive, never quite as complete as she was when facing a new opponent. And that she did. Pyrrha Nikos, Grecian student by day, sexy Spartan warrior princess by club time. At least it felt like that, seeing her in gym shorts and a sports top that displayed an orange tint that lightened her nearly nonexistent Mediterranean tan and highlighted her red hair tied up in the back. She had well defined abs and arms, muscular as hell, yet surprisingly thin. The kind of tone Yang was jealous of. Not to say Yang didn't try to put on a show herself, dressed in matching yellow shorts with a gym top that was about two inches short of just being a sports bra. After all, Blake was watching, even if the bookworm was just reading in the corner, not as impressed by Yang's own muscled form as she used to be. It was worth a shot at least.

     "You ready to go?" Yang asked, her words slightly slurred by the protective mouthguard. The golden girl stood, just a meter between them, arms raised the perfect distance between her eyes and hands, bound by the sparring gloves she wore. Weight perfectly center, left leg forward and right tilted ever so slightly, Yang's preferred heavyweight stance.

    "As long as you are, Miss Long," Pyrrha replied, voice slurred in a familiar way, mouthguards a rather annoying necessity. Still, she spoke well for having a big thing of plastic in her mouth. It made Yang smile to tell she had needed one of these guards before. Pyrrha had a stance of the same Muay Thai art, but her form was of a rare lightweight variety. Left arm low, only slightly bent, which allowed her to pivot it and turn that tough forearm into a shield. Her right fist was raised up already in striking position, like a readied javelin. She turned her body slightly, letting her left side be the only striking zone, a much smaller area to aim for than Yang's if not as versatile a position.

     "Let's go!" Many people liked to start out circling each other, giving themselves time to think. Yang didn't need to think, she only ever was. This was her Dao, her infallible way, and it said straightforward.

     One hop was all it took to close the distance, that terrible little space between Yang and her opponent. No, just like dance there wasn't meant to be space. A fight needed contact, contact Yang was happy to give. Left jabs were quick taunts, a kind of fighting handshake that could turn into bee stings if the opponent let it, and Yang was happy to sting her apart. The little left strikes could only bite Pyrrha, shielded by the pivoting forearm, the damn shield of an arm unbreakable. Thing was, little stabs stung after a while, stung in a way that you just had to stab right back. Pyrrha was not an exception to this rule.

      A hidden wince of irritation in those green eyes messaged Yang that a strike was coming, and come it did. That spear of a right arm went for thrust, the force of it Yang could almost feel, and did when she caught it in her right, the kinetic wave running all the way into the blonde's shoulder. It was a wonderful kind of force, one that pumped her heart an extra beat and made the world slow down and speed up all at once. This was being alive; this was the only work that felt effortless.

     Arms a tangled mess, Yang shifted her left foot at an angle, spinning the whole of her body into one side destroying swing kick. It was an easy bet in a close hand mess like this that the opponent would forget their lower body, letting a well placed kick or swipe be turned into a perfect knock out. Pyrrha wasn't most people. Perhaps it was Yang's smile that gave it away, the stupid tell she couldn't seem to stop in a beautiful battle like this. Either way the Grecian noticed, eyes down on Yang's muscled leg whipping around to strike, the force of Yang's entire body propelling it forward. Pyrrha simply lifted her leg, the knee blocking any strike to center body, and sending the most horrific pain and livening feelings one could feel into the bone. It hurt bad, but Yang was used to it, her nerves were muted to the pain and whatever was left made her alert and alive. Perfect time to force forward.

     The space between them was null, so much that with a step she could kiss her red headed friend, but kissing was a different game. One not done with fists. Yang guessed you could say she meant to kiss a confused, down-looking Pyrrha with her glove rushing towards her jaw. This girl wasn't a normal fight, she was astounding, amazing even. She just pivoted that left arm and smacked the blonde's main punch to the side like nothing. All that heft, force, and kinetic energy sent into the air somewhere lost forever. Yang's body was still moving forward, her mind still focused on attack, left hand balled up tight for rib jabs. She had made a terribly stupid mistake. She forgotten about that high raised arm of Pyrrha's, the one that in just a moment would be implanted in Yang's memory forever.

     It hurt, hurt badly. The pain was searing and destroyed her senses. Yang felt her mind melt for a second in a buzz, the one a good knock to the face often earned her. The strike was meant for the jaw, but it found Yang's eye and she could totally feel tomorrow's bruises coming quickly. Pyrrha was apologizing, Yang could hear it, but not really, the game winning onslaught that should have followed didn't, instead there was the gift precious time to breath, shake it off, and get right back into position.

     "Yang, are you okay?" Pyrrha had a sad look in those emerald eyes, but the blonde couldn't think of why. After all she was smiling like a fool.

     "We're not done!" Yang shouted in a slurred mess as she circled her opponent for the last gambit. She had to stop soon, before the swelling started to hit, but no way was she going to go out to the newbie without being a little cool first. Mad dash in, all her chips on the table, Yang went in close. She might have expected a quick strike, but Pyrrha was playing for counters and Yang took that as an invite. Illegal in some tournaments she went for one of Muay Thai's more famous offensive moves. A slashing elbow strike to the face. It was an intimate attack that put you in such a close proximity to the opponent some thought it too brash. Well brash would have been Yang's middle name if it wasn't already Xiao.

     Pyrrha wasn't any less defended and she pivoted her arm to shield her face, but the thing was an elbow strike was full bodied. Yang's entire self smashed into her and blocked Pyrrha's view of her feet. Exactly what Yang wanted. The redhead moved to spear Yang right in the jaw with her right punch, but she never got her chance. It's an easy thing fighting this close to forget the legs, even more so when you're confident.

     Yang didn't need much force, just a quick kick to the shins. While more painful than damaging, it put Pyrrha on her a knee without much chance to respond. Where a series of quick and brutal strikes should have followed, they didn't. Yang was too excited, her heart pounding, face screaming, and smile wide she just pulled Pyrrha into the biggest hug ever.

    "Oh, my god! You are, like, the toughest badass ever! That was awesome!" Yang's voice was so slurred she wasn't even sure her words would be anything else but a jumbled nightmare.

     "Thank you… are you okay, Yang? I didn't mean to get you in the eye," Pyrrha asked as soon as she could pull out of Yang's hug. She seemed a little concerned, though there was no reason so. Yang's eye still stung, the surface area of that knockout punch was wailing so loud, but it felt great in a way. She was sort of proud of it, more so because that the newest member was such a beast. The blonde didn't even comprehend enough to answer, the excitement in her blood too hot, too concentrated. All she could think of doing was sharing this new discovered compatriot with her most important person, Blake.

     "Blake, did you see that?! Did you see that!?" Yang actually spoke clearly, remembering to remove the mouth guard. She had pulled Pyrrha along, firmly holding her hand. The silly Grecian girl seemed so awkward now. Presenting her prize fighter, Blake seemed unimpressed, hands on her hips, those amber eyes annoyed.

     "It was her knocking the shit out of you is what I saw. Jesus, Yang, you need to be more careful. Velvet, please get us an ice pack." Blake was definitely Yang's most important person. A friendship that danced a thousand lines, trampled over a few more boarders than they should have, and never quite found its comfortable standard. Some days it felt like Yang could love her forever, sometimes it felt like she was completely alien to the blonde, something beyond her comprehension that words and concepts just wouldn't measure. Sometimes it just felt distant, like Blake was just an afterimage of something caught in twilight. Over a year had passed since Yang Long met Blake Belladonna, and in that time the only thing Yang had learned for sure is she was something important to her. What it was or what it meant Yang didn't fathom or factor into this equation. Blake was here now, dressed in her stylish Italian vest and that little black bow, her slender fingers touching the now swollen soon-to-be black eye. It stung, it burned even, but the attention was gratifying.

     "Here you go, Blake. That was a nasty shot." Velvet came back with an ice pack and bandages, sweet girl as she was. Yang let Blake apply the pack and wrap a holding bandage to it to keep the small patch of chilled gel in place. It felt like a jolt at first, but quickly the coolness turned into the exact boon Yang needed for this beating. It drained the adrenaline from Yang. The exertion finally catching up with her. Face chilled and all minor wounds settled, she let herself drop with a laugh, collapsed on the soft padded floor, and sprawled out with a smile. This was the life.

     "I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to." Pyrrha was a little skittish, standing up above her, stepping back just a bit to avoid showing the goods under her skirt to the now pleasantly passive floor bound Yang. Smart girl, showed again how aware she was of everything around her and brought a laugh to her collapsed compatriot. Yang was the inverse of Pyrrha, the world got smaller in the fight, simpler. Everything around her outside of the opponent was background noise. It was only clear now with the match over exactly where Yang even was. The fuzz went away and the clear expanse of the room replaced it. The punching bags to the left shared with the regular boxing club, the training sets to the right, a mess of machines weights that were 'borrowed' from the school's full gym. She could sense the few others present. I couple of girls who always trained together in the other corner. She noticed now who was not present, the Malachite twins, off working the bar or with their boyfriends, skipping practice probably.

     There was of course Blake here. She was second captain but never fought, instead she was just there as a friend, and because whether she would admit it or not, the Italian minx thought watching beautiful woman fight was sexy and Yang had seen the reading material to prove it. Velvet was there as a transfer from mid last year, and she joined because she had such a huge crush on Blake, though everyone either didn't notice or ignored for her sake. Yang liked Velvet though, she was a sweetie. Almost made her wish Blake would notice Velvet's affections. Almost. The little aussie was an amazing book keeper for the club too, which Yang was in dire need of.

     "You got me good. You have one of the best senses of alertness I've seen. That left arm, Pyrrha, I just couldn't get passed it!" Yang announced punching a fist into the air to mark her excitement. Next order of business would be to learn how to do that, and how to beat it. Yang loved learning the different styles and skills, loved mastering her combat arts. Totally loved kicking butt, too.

     "Actually you got me in the end. That elbow caught me off guard; I'll need to work on that for next time." Pyrrha smiled, the brightness in her eyes back as the shiny emeralds they should be. The special phrase of next time meant something super important, the largest success of this meeting by far. The big fish might have just been caught and Yang was thrilled.

     "So you are joining?!" Yang asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow just wanting to sink her teeth in a new member. Frankly, a girl's kickboxing club should have been way easier to start, the girl's Futbol was huge here and Yang thought a club about punching things should be easy to sell. So far the roster floated between ten and seven depending on semester, two of which didn't even fight. She would have pressured Ruby into joining, but Yang thought watching her get creamed in the face over and over again might be too much for a good sister to bear. Blake didn't share the thirsty look, instead she gave Yang a bit of a grimace.

     "Give the girl some space, Yang. Sorry Pyrrha, she is… excitable… when it comes to new girls. We'd welcome a new member, but don't feel pressured," Blake offered with probably more affable terms, but spoiling all of Yang's fun. The blonde rewarded Blake's efforts with an extended tongue in complaint. Blake tried to hide her laugh and looked back with this hidden expression meant to tell her just 'really?'. Non-verbal communication was cool and a strong measure of their familiarity.

     "I can see that," Pyrrha started giving Yang a sweet, but a bit pained smile. 'Okay maybe I came on a little strong, but come on!' the blonde thought, opting maybe for begging, however, the Grecian's next comment made her near speechlessly happy. "But I'd be happy to join."

     "Hell yes! I consider this a win! I told you, Blake. Ha!" _Near_ speechless, nothing ever really made Yang speechless. Yang kick-laughed up a frenzy and while Blake did roll her eyes, she seemed to give a subtle smile. A gracious loser considering the little bet they made in class about how quick Yang could turn her to the noble combatant's path. Teach her to doubt the masterful persuasive techniques of Yang Xiao Long.

     "So what is the schedule here? Any requirements for membership to your club, Captain Long?" Pyrrha asked. The title of 'Captain Long' felt pretty cool to hear, but Blake laughing outright at the mention of it put a bullet in any hopes of turning that into a real thing.

     "We meet here whenever we can around at thirteen o'clock. If you can't make it, you can't make it; if you're late, you're late. We tend to be fairly relaxed. Our leader here seems to hate everything that comes with scheduling, so if you need the club room at another time, just ask," Blake explained opening up the club books for whatever forms were needed. Administrative tasks were always floated down to Blake and Velvet, mostly because they were boring and clubs were supposed to be fun. Honestly, the main reason Yang was the club captain was because Blake wanted nothing to do with the actual fighting. She was more like a really sexy coach that all the boys dreamed they had instead of the fat, balding guys they got. Kind of like that. "Also call her Yang, you've already swollen her head enough as is."

     "You're no fun!" Yang replied from the floor with no defense, but a whine. Didn't deter the minx in the least.

     "I've heard you say quite the contrary if I'm remembering a few drunken episodes correctly. Now get up lazy," Blake remarked, seeming satisfied with a victory and content she had Yang by the collar. The raven haired girl reached her arm out for her disheveled captain, offering her a way out. ' _Clever, clever cat'_ , Yang thought, taking the outstretched arm.

     "Alright, I'm up. All in all, I'm glad you joined us Pyrrha, but I mean with this pack on my face some might wonder if it was maybe a pyrrhic victory, eh?" No one laughed.

     "Oh, come on. It was funny!"

* * *

     "Once you start drawing out the word problems and turning them into triangles you won't have any more problems," Velvet lectured and Yang tried to pay attention. She was sort of a number's girl, good at math and science, which were not Yang's best subjects. Her lower level remedial courses in college were proof of that bit of disability. After discovering Velvet's hidden talents Yang was quick to highjack her for all sorts of tutoring and other much needed help. It almost made the blonde feel bad, but Velvet seemed to have fun. Plus it gave them an excuse to talk together in the halls just the three of them. That included Blake.

     "I'm going to be honest, I don't think I'll remember any of this conversation. Kind of got clocked in the head. Maybe we can have a major study session?" Yang asked kicking back in her casual wear, gym clothes packed into her bags, hair freshly washed and combed, and her ice pack replaced with a normal temporary eyepatch to hide the bruising. Explaining she had gotten a black eye in club and showing her mom were two totally different beasts for sure. She was already so paranoid that Yang wasn't taking care of herself enough to get a girlfriend. It was a little funny, being caught with a girl by her mom didn't change the endless harping on her to find a hubby in college, just transmuted it into finding a wife. Not that Yang couldn't find her joy in either sex, the equal opportunity heartbreaker she was, but that was for another make out session to be barged in on at another time.

     "Alright, but I'd like it if Blake could join us." Yang nearly laughed in her face hearing that. It was cute though and the last thing she wanted to do was hurt sweet Velvet's feelings. One could only imagine how excited Velvet was to be assigned as Blake's dorm mate this semester. "It would be better to have at least a three person group than just me teaching you." Good at coming up with excuses, too. Velvet was going to go places. What places, Yang had no idea, but definitely places.

     "Absolutely, sounds like a party!" Yang announced, feeling victorious as she stepped down the hallway from her late after class study session to the foreign program building. Ruby had to wait most of her day for classes, an hour even after her last class with Yang. Poor sis needed to get some wheels, but for now they needed a nice trip home, a big meal, and some sister bonding time.

     "I don't believe you can just volunteer me," Blake argued from behind the two of them. Always a stickler for respecting time and personal space and all that garbage. Wasn't like she was going to say no anyways, did it matter if Yang acted as her spokesperson? "I will go if you apologize. Definitely need some help despite you being a little rude just to assume my schedule." Blake added a little touch of a girlish smile behind that comment. She loved irking Yang just a little bit.

     "What? Too busy writing your Italian anime fanfi—" Yang couldn't finish with how quickly Blake shushed her, the redness of her flustered face the most delightful thing Yang had ever seen. Poor girl was so obsessed with hiding it she didn't even realize everyone from the dorms last year knew on top of Yang, Velvet included, but she was into cosplay so she seemed just as into the anime thing. Velvet even had that cute little brown and gold battle suit with the bunny ears from that one show the two of them watched. Yang didn't delve into that stuff as much as either of them, but she thought it was kind of cool and adorable how passionate they were about it.

     "Fine, I'll go!" Blake shouted causing even Velvet to giggle a bit. "I so regret showing you that. We're in public." Angry Blake was a very rare and charming sight to see. Something Yang felt proud to unlock after a year of trying.

     "I don't know why you bother hiding it. Seems dumb, it's your thing then it's your natural self. Be proud of that." Yang didn't feel like explaining her theories about Daoism to Blake right now and honestly she didn't get it herself really, but this writing stuff and lit was totally the minx's Doa. For anyone who was that passionate and committed to something, yet did it without hesitation, well that was the Wu Wei, effortless action.

     "Well it's settled. Ruby's outside right? I'll just head to the dorms then if that's okay?" Velvet asked and everyone nodded in agreement. Yang had told Ruby to guard Bumblebee with her life, this late at night towing was actually a fear. 'The Glynda loves Yang shield' did have its limits.

     "So that Pyrrha girl. She was amazing. I'm so glad she's on the team. I didn't even know we had a Physical Fitness Program, I should switch from Culinary… though my parents would probably kill me," Yang mused as they stepped outside one of the farther entrances. The night air was a sharp cool, pleasant even on Yang's refreshed self. Wind picking up beautifully, brushing through the outer gardens that lined the space between buildings and low light from the moon still bright on the stone structure. It was in these strangely atmospheric moments Yang remembered to appreciate exactly how beautiful her home was.

     "You seem infatuated," Blake mentioned near soundlessly following Yang out. Though her question was loaded, her voice showed no hint of whatever it was loaded with. Her hips were moving in a sway that drove onlookers mad while she walked. The girl seemed even more impressive at night. Her being blended in, but seemed more there when you noticed her than any other time. A sort of invisible glow one could only see in the moonlight if they looked for it. Sort of Blake's natural state.

     "Maybe," Yang admitted considering it, though not too seriously. "I want a bit more time with her before I can really say so. I'm not a love at first sight type of girl, not usually I mean." She noticed, between spotting her own past inconsistence, that they weren't walking. The two of them were just standing before the gardens in the night, tenseness to the conversation inescapable. Yang didn't know where it came from, but it was definitely there, choking the life from the moment.

     "If you do, will you ask her out?" Blake asked, the question making Yang feel a little puzzled and sick, like a heavyweight was placed on her essence. This sounded complicated. Complicated emotions were among Yang's most disliked things. To her the world was about seeking out natural states. When you like something do it, when you don't, don't. Things like this couldn't follow the same rules.

     "I get it, you're worried I won't pursue other people. Hey, I promised I wouldn't make things a problem… you know I'm sorry about what I did to make things so awkward after the festival. I just was under the wrong impression, just like I said." Blake was already walking away before Yang could finish her babbling bullshit. The blonde knew she was shoving her foot right into her mouth too, but how was lost to her somewhere in this dark parking lot path. Blake could be such an enigma, so often hiding what she felt about stuff in the dark away from Yang. It was that hiding that caused problems before. It made Yang guess wrong about the most important things. She was never very good at navigating the dark hidden parts of people.

     "Hey Blake, what was with you bringing up last year's incident after the fight. I mean after I apologized you never brought it up before. I'm not mad, but you know I feel bad for causing such a huge fight and—" Whatever conversation would have happened ended right there. Blake stopped every motion in her body at once; instantly alert. Yang had never seen her look so tense, not for a long time. She was frightened by a sound; a red specter appeared in the garden corner, shivering slightly from a heavy wind.

     "Yang! I've been waiting here for like thirty minutes! I'm freezing! Plus I really got to tell you about what Weiss and I did all day." It was Ruby, poor girl.

Blake eased back up and waved, her face was obscured by her bangs. She seemed distraught and didn't say a word. Just turned back to Yang and whispered, "See you tomorrow." There was no catching up to her.

     "Hey sis. Sorry, got caught up." It was truth enough, though it didn't really scratch the surface of such.

     "Oh my god, what happened to your face?!" Ruby looked so shocked, her grey eyes wide as could be imagined. Yang just laughed back, responding in the only way she knew how.

     "Okay, so you know that Pyrrha girl. She is a total bad ass!"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***(old ff notes) Writing till 6:20 AM for the win! :D Hope everyone enjoyed the Yang chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I think I got a good idea of a real life Yang, what she would be like, what philosophy she should follow and attitude she should have, and how to make it feel different from Ruby. Also glad to just write someone a bit more mischievous :D
> 
> Though if you're worried, next chapter is all about Weiss and Ruby :P There will be more perspectives and times given to more sets of characters in the future and as you can already tell, some 'choices' have been made before Ruby's arrival that will show up in the future. :P
> 
> Special thanks to LazyKatze for the edits as always also check out layers her fantastic white rose A.U., also thanks to A-rav for help with the fight scene. . so much writer's block. And sorry for being a week late, a Physics test really threw me for a loop. Please leave a review to let me know how it came out and to help me in the future.
> 
> Edit as of June 25. I'll be in an interview hosted by ff's own codyknight. Apparently there is a fan questions can be submitted on /r/Reiss/ if you're interested. Have a great night!


	5. Like a Blizzard

**Ruby Rose**

     Arguing was fairly easy to ignore when hunting Pokemon's most sought after legendary birds, specifically Zapdos in all its shiny glory. Little feathered jerk was being testy about the whole catching process. It was even easier to ignore a fight in German when it sounded nothing like anything Ruby could fathom. Still, the tempered down shouts made into whispers felt no less troubling. Ruby didn't like it. Soon as Spanish class had ended the horde of students had dispersed. Some had came around to comment on Yang's newest pair of sunglasses, ones she so comfortably wore indoors for reasons only a few knew. Ren had dashed into his room to crash like always, Blake had taken leave with Velvet in tow, but Penny stuck around for as long as she could, telling scattered news about her family back in England. Whether she was going to admit it or not, Ruby could tell she missed home, but who didn't? Ruby sure did, the smells their of her old apartment with her mother, small but homey place covered in velvet and memories. Home was gone now. Ruby was here by herself now that everyone had left, even Penny couldn't stick around forever.

     Normally the lonely moments between Spanish class and Physics Ruby could spend getting closer to her most peculiar friend, Weiss. They would challenge each other to different sort of games, often studying, but not always. Weiss was a competitive girl, she could turn sock puppets into a decisive duel to the death, or at least a day's worth of mockery. She was all about being the best, and Ruby just loved giving her a fight. Outside this time they rarely spoke, Penny not as much a fan of that icy passion Weiss had, and the German princess, or heiress or something, wasn't a fan of Penny's strange lackadaisical attitude towards everything. That only made that time together more intrinsically valuable and there were the rare moments Ruby could say something funny enough for Weiss to crack a smile or the very light satisfied laugh she only ever did when she won something difficult. It had become strangely addicting, but it wasn't happening today. Ruby lay tired, sprawled onto the dorm lobby couch curved into a ball, tapping away on her phone and playing pokemon to feel better. She didn't get to enjoy the usual daily activities and Weiss had been taken aside by Professor Goodwitch. The redhead didn't know what this was all about, but the look on Weiss' face when she was called away made Ruby worry.

     It wasn't so much as anything bad was going to happen. Ruby was sure despite whatever fighting was going on Weiss wouldn't be kicked out. She was a model student after all, already top of their shared class, not to mention tied with the best in Spanish class. All she did was study and keep to herself mostly. This situation wasn't quite right. It irked Ruby, made her anxious and want to do something to clear it up. Made the girl feel like she had to charge in and stop it, protect her friend from the big, bad monster, even though honestly Glynda was cool. It was a tight, unpleasant feeling, one that Ruby didn't want to think about, again circling around to her failed attempts at Pokemon mastery.

     "Es ist vorbei!" The shout snapped Ruby up, flipping onto her feet from the leather of the couch. The small outlying office from which Professor Goodwitch did her work erupted in silver fury. Weiss with her pony tail tossed back with a bit of flare, eyes filled with fire, and high heeled step making her seem even more intense than usual. Goodwitch stood by the door, an angry scowl on her usually perfect countenance, but nary a word to say. In a way that was really relieving, though Ruby didn't exactly find Glynda mad a pleasure, it was more that Weiss was okay.

     "Hey, is everything okay?" Ruby asked as Weiss stepped right past her, a flurry of white fabric from her long white skirt kicking up behind the German with each hurried step.

     "Just an issue of understanding," Weiss retorted. Not slowing down a step, she marched immediately to the wooden door frame marked 'Senorita Weiss Schnee', a lovely tag, which had already been given a twirly mustache and smile in sharpy. Totally Nora's work.

     "Okay," Ruby muttered, feeling herself hitch on such a short, detached answer. "So let's pick something you want to do today to take your mind off of it, unless you want to talk about it. I'm here to listen, but totes about what you want." Ruby's offer did nothing for Weiss, not slowing her down even a notch, barely seemed to pay attention as she juggled the loose key to her dorm room.

     "What I want is to be alone and to mix some music. Go play on your phone," Weiss replied coldly without much thought or pause. Not that Weiss gave much pause to anything at all.

     "No," Ruby mumbled beside herself, grabbing Weiss' sleeve lightly. Touching her outright seemed off to the redhead, like it would be too much. It was enough to grab Weiss' attention, her blue eyes piercing fierce and angry. Totally was a little more aloof a response than Ruby was hoping, but a response nonetheless. "Please?"

     "I'm sure you have plenty of small animals to imprison for your digital dog fights," Weiss retorted, rolling her eyes in annoyance, something deep perturbing her. _That was low_ , Ruby thought to herself, _Charizard loves me. I am not a slaver!_

     "Let me join you! I promise I won't be any trouble. I'll be like, super deadly silent!" Ruby was never quiet and silent like, maybe a deadly shot as a kid, but silent? Nope. She just hoped Weiss' ignorance of that might help. Not that she didn't intend to try, but standing here just the two of them Ruby was swaying back and forth, eyes and body a bit twitchy as was her custom.

     "You know what's quieter? An empty room."

     "We always do stuff together. I can help out, get you stuff if you need it and whatever. You know I learn quick." Ruby couldn't explain her strange desperation. She was an introverted person by nature, meeting people was horrifying, but she had already met Weiss. Being with people was exhausting, even if it was fun, but Ruby just needed to not be alone for once in her life, just for a little bit.

     "Ruby, I need to focus," Weiss answered sounding just as steady as before, but stopped. Not turning the knob, not opening the door, but parked right there waiting for Ruby to reply, perfect opportunity. The young American girl still had her most tried and true weapon saved up. A tool that brought the greatest warriors, from security contractors to kick boxers to her side.

     "Please, I'd just rather spend time with you doing nothing than sitting here alone." Puppy dog eyes were in full force, those giant, gleaming, grey disks breaking the hearts of anyone within her vantage. Weiss glared back, her blue ice eyes refusing to melt for anyone like her. Was it wrong to guilt trip one of her newest best friends? Probably, so Ruby tried not to think about it. It was for Weiss' own good, friendship was important. "Please. For me?" Ruby added, fully committing to the pity stare. This battle of stares was really a battle of wills. Ruby's will to be earnestly desperate for friendship and Weiss' to be mean. Bets were on that Weiss was very much only half the bitch she wanted to pretend she was.

     "I hate you," Weiss grumbled, one of the most hateful sorts. A solid bet for sure. "Break anything and I will ruin you," she added with a sigh, opening the door finally, but now for them both. No one was immune to Ruby's cute, pitiful look, a weapon she swore only to use for the greater good… with occasional harmlessness once in a while. "Get in. Leave your shoes by the door. You may sit down on my bed or couch, you may have one drink from my fridge, and you may not touch anything else. You get that Ruby Rose?"

     "Holy cow," Ruby replied, self-censoring as she stepped in, almost forgetting to take off her sneakers. A friendly jerk back by the shoulder reminded her of course as Weiss pointed to the girl's shoes.

     "Also, 'holy cow'? Are you real?" Question of Ruby's existence aside, she was blushing embarrassed, fully aware just how weird that sounded out of a college kid. Totally not helping the 'I'm actually in high school' look she had.

     "My mom never let me curse as a kid… weird habit."

     Weiss' only response was a shake of the head as she tossed her shoes aside to come in. The dorm room was massive, the 'King's' room for the highest grade student in the program, though Blake suggested it might also be about money more than grades. It was a single room, only slightly larger than its companion, the "Queens" room Ren had. The space however was packed with stuff. To the left was a separate bath and makeshift kitchen complete with a clearly brought in mini-fridge of which, as Weiss suggested, would likely be loaded with refreshments.

     The back of the room had a bed pushed to the wall with blue sheets made perfectly as if Weiss ever expected company. All around the bed was neatly, but heavily cluttered, with goods, most noteworthy a few types of guitars and one of those giant Violins, Ruby thought they were called Cello if her memory served. On the other side was a massive fusion of a work desk covered in papers and books, a computer desk with multiple monitors, and what looked like a super computer got freaky with a piano. Ruby felt a weird sort of smile on her face, thinking Weiss was some sort of computer geek. It so didn't match her image, but would have been just adorable. This build quickly fused with the right hand side of the room where a bright white wood dresser stood beside a small a snowy leather couch below a hanging violin, trumpet and some other string instrument Ruby couldn't identify. None of these were even the strangest or most expensive part of her room.

     The closet, or what would have been it, along with a good other bit of the room had been sealed off in soundproofing, a strange grey jagged material coating the walls of a cage. Inside was a small drum set and a microphone as well, with just enough space to play about anything, barring the electric piano, which definitely wasn't going anywhere. Ruby didn't know what was weirder, the soundproofing, or just how off kilter the drums were. Actually what was up with all of this, she was a business program member, like the fancy types that wore suits around campus and talked bad about the dream seekers.

     "Do they even let you do that?" Ruby asked not being able to take a step passed the jagged death cave that was the soundproofing room and that weird mini drum set. "Also you play the drums?"

     "So long as you pre-pay more than the cost of fixing the room before you move in I've found I can do about as much renovation as I want. Not to mention the sound proofing keeps the sound in as much as the sound out. Ren sleeps through it all," Weiss answered in matter-of-fact tone, stepping comfortably to her desk, unraveling the massive ponytail behind her, the flowing strains of thin silver falling way past even Yang's hair, which Ruby thought impossible. It was such a rich and healthy hair despite the grey color, reminding her much of the color of her own eyes. Ruby wanted to reach out and touch it, run her fingers through it to see if it really was woven silk and silver. That was crazy though, crazy thoughts for someone a lot more bold than Ruby.

     "As for the drums sometimes I need a unique sound byte for a piece. I'm not quite the percussionist I would hope for, my specialty falls mostly in string, but what I am is a composer," Weiss announced proudly taking her seat, crossing her legs in a feminine fashion so as not to show off. She was clearly waiting for some shouts of admiration, which Ruby thought was kind of adorable.

     "A composer? I thought you were in the business program, not music?" Ruby replied, the lack of praise not exactly what Weiss was aiming for from the sound of the German's annoyed groan. Perhaps it would have been smart to pepper in a compliment or two about how cool that was, but Ruby was already fighting her desire to riddle her full of questions as was. She was filled with curiosity, the true form of admiration.

     "I am not having this argument twice in one day. Yes, I am in the business program. Yes, I am a composer. You wanted in, you're in. Now let me work." Only occurred to Ruby now that perhaps it was not the missing praise, but the line of questioning that set her off. Weiss didn't wait for a response before turning on the frankensteinian computer-instrument hybrid, the White Snowflake emblem popping onto both her monitors with a deep blue and white light.

     "Is that what you and Professor Goodwitch were arguing about? I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I mean I didn't really 'cause it was in German, and I don't know German, so I didn't completely listen in, only like kind of," Ruby ended in a mumble realizing she had one about two sentences too far to look anything, but creepy today.

     "What was the 'I'll be quiet Weiss, I promise' stuff about earlier?" Thankfully Weiss was more annoyed than creeped out, her arms crossed defensively. Ruby just mouthed an, 'I'm sorry,' back, earnestly feeling a little awful for failing the whole 'be quiet' mission statement in under a minute. That sad looked cracked Weiss again though, that irritated groan a sign she was about to open up. "Fine, yes, that is what the argument was about. As my advisor she was concerned I was taking too many music electives this semester and not enough of my program courses."

     "How many electives?" Ruby humbly asked swaying her way towards Weiss, the computer still loading her profile.

     "Only two!" Weiss shouted back in irritation, "How many do you have?"

     "I haven't signed up for a program yet so… all four," Ruby admitted with a chuckle, nervously plopping down on Weiss' bed. The covers were super soft, the blue felt like silk, heck it might as well have been for all Ruby knew of fine cloth. Collapsed Ruby felt its warm sleepy embrace, very comfy and covered in a winter wildflower scent. Pretty smell… Weiss' smell. "How many program courses?"

     "Two," Weiss answered this time with a hitch of nervous awkwardness. Ruby couldn't remember in the last two weeks if she had ever seen an awkward Weiss and in the time the answer felt like no.

     "Wait, you're taking physics on top of that?" Ruby asked impressed that Weiss would take a really difficult extra class on top of a standard four set. Maybe that just Ruby being lazy, but she wasn't sure she could manage a thing like that.

     "Physics is part of my program courses," Weiss answered defensively. Ruby gave back an audible 'oh' at the exact reason Glynda Goodwitch had been a little peeved.

     "How many non-gen ed program courses? Like how many business courses?" Ruby asked sitting back up, waving the strains of red from her face. Weiss looked tense, her usual confidence shaken for just a moment before finally those ice blue eyes looked back to Ruby.

     "None right now..." Weiss' nervousness napped back to anger, chin lifted up in defiance and attitude back in full. "Look, the program course schedule is just advisory I can take whatever I want! Just play your stupid game and leave me alone!" Weiss retreated to her computer, tossing on some large headphones emblazoned with the white and blue snowflake again. They were big professional headphones, locking Weiss away from the rest of the world. Ruby could light the room on fire and Weiss would feel it before she would hear it with those things. The redhead didn't want to leave the conversation on that, but to shake Weiss and demand her attention was just rude. Ruby was left to her own devices. That meant only one thing. Zapdos or bust.

      Felt like days and at least a million save state loads after that till Ruby had her prize. The rare beast was her's to keep, though Weiss' suggestion of Pokémon poaching did soil it a bit. Majestic thunderbird-god-thing was now reduced to a house parrot that could be used as a replacement lamp. At least it was a shiny house parrot. Without nostalgia filled joy of Pokémon the boredom was building something fierce in Ruby, a force for evil that could not be stopped by anything besides discovery.

     Weiss was no help either. The would be composer had done nothing but listen to music samples, which Ruby could barely hear even the faintest hint of through the headphones. At first watching Weiss work was interesting, less in the respect that Ruby understood or could follow what she was doing, but more that Weiss was so... focused, so in the moment as if nothing else existed. Watching someone in the moment truly where nothing else exists can be a joy in its own right if not at least inspiring. Made Ruby jealous a little to see how passionate she was about her music, the smile on her face when you could see was getting something achieved was deeper than any Weiss had ever shown Ruby before. Not to mention Weiss herself was somewhat intoxicating to watch, the unusual treat of seeing her with her hair down to use the bulky headphones, the army of expressions she used, the smile. This was becoming a thing. Ruby wasn't going to let it be a thing just yet.

     Still voyeurism only stays fun for a little while, interaction was the true want. Ruby wanted to learn about Weiss, what she was doing, and was about. For all their hangouts in the past two or three weeks Ruby knew remarkably little about her German friend. In an agreement made between the redhead and herself she quietly got up to, silently now, explore the dorm room further. The walls had plenty more to share. Fine paintings were hung up around the room next to instruments of different sizes and shapes. The largest painting was also the most beautiful, a velvet smeared forest in autumn. Like something out of Ruby's story. She hadn't been writing recently, the mild taste of self-disappointment sharp in her mouth. She was too embarrassed to keep going, afraid of devoting more to something that wouldn't be any good in the end.

     In the urge to discover Ruby began to be more assertive with her searching, sticking to the rule that as long as she could see it without opening something, it was not creepy to get a better look. There were a lot more books than Ruby thought at first. Almost none of them were on anything like sheaves, but all neatly stacked and almost all in German, so information gained was zilch. Under Weiss' bed was a small black trunk that had in marker written both in German and English _'Do not open!',_ which was likely just as much for Ruby's sake as Weiss', and a few notebooks with the word _musik_ written on them. Again the language barrier really hampered all attempts to get to know Weiss in any other way then talking. It wasn't meant to be like a spy thing, Ruby just wanted to know what she was into, what Ruby might do to cheer her up and connect them.

     Demoralized, but not deterred, Ruby found her most interesting objects for sure: the sword behind the instruments. There was a rack of them behind the cello, three altogether, two obviously practice swords and one very ornate one with a strange, but intense looking handguard. Picking up the sword it was super light, the blade thin, but sharp looking. Ruby wasn't dumb enough to test it, but it seemed able to cut a little. Whatever convincing that needed to happen came when Ruby saw the point, a shockingly thin glistening point that would easily get someone if she wasn't t careful. All of a sudden Ruby really didn't want to be holding this. Doubly so when she turned around.

     "What are you doing with Myrtenaster?!" Weiss was angry, very angry.

     "Mytranastor?" Ruby asked and butchered all at once.

     "Myrtenaster!" Weiss clarified and shouted, snapping the sword back from Ruby's hand, becoming about eight times as scary with a weapon in her hand to complement her already scary as hell hateful scar. "Don't touch anything, remember that part?"

     "Are you even allowed to have a sword!?" Ruby asked, quite sure that no one was allowed swords no matter how much they put down for their dorm room. Potential murder being as expensive as it probably was.

     "I'm officially part of the Fencing team; it gives me certain right of ownership!" Weiss retorted still shouting, face flushed in red.

     "Isn't that only like if you keep them in lockers? Weiss, I'm pretty sure that regardless of how cool that sword is you can't have it in the dorms," Ruby guessed, guessed right enough to make a very nervous Weiss take a step back and go wide-eyed.

     "Don't test me; Myrtenaster has bled bigger fish than you!" As cliché a line as that line was, being held up at blade point by whatever a Myrtenaster was made the cliché feel plenty fresh to Ruby.

     "You've stabbed people with it?! You're threatening to stab me with it?!" Well that was obvious, but this was the first time anyone had ever threatened to hurt Ruby. She sure as hell didn't expect it to be blackmailed under threat of rapier to be the first near death experience.

     "No! I only nicked him. Plus I'm joking; I won't hurt you because you aren't saying anything. Right? Please?" Weiss lowered the rapier, making Ruby feel a whole hell of a lot better. "I'm sorry," she added, seriously. Ruby didn't believe she was in any real danger the whole time, but that realization only came after the fact. Never again was she going to snoop. Creepy days were officially over forever.

     "Your jokes aren't funny!" Ruby shouted back finally catching her breath. All this tenseness was exhausting. Suddenly all Ruby wanted was a nap. "Wait, you did hurt someone?!"

     "He hit me first," Weiss answered calmly tapping her swords blunt face to her eye, covering the scar for a moment.

     "Oh." It wasn't a particularly meaningful comment, but what was there to say about that. 'Sorry for the face scar,' definitely wasn't cool. Ruby might have gone up to hug her if the whole sword stabby thing wasn't still kind of uncomfortable. "Do you want to talk about it?" Ruby offered, almost on default. Whatever her damage, Weiss was her friend after all. Plus it was Ruby who wanted to know so badly. Might as well ask.

     "It wasn't that bad, I went to an academy for secondary school, I think you Americans call it high school. Either way it was for the upper elite of society. Everyone was from money or German nobility, or both more often than not." Weiss sat herself down for the story, Ruby doing the same after a moment, just out of rapier reach even if stabby time was over. "I was captain of the girl's fencing team my Junior year. Nobility have this thing with fencing that they need to be top or mommy and daddy won't love them. My vice captain graduated and I picked the second best fencer to replace her. Simple right? Well the third best was a prideful child. After being skipped she decided she was going to get me kicked for not picking her by spreading rumors that I didn't promote her because she refused my advances. As if! I'd rather be with a hairless ape than her kind of bitchy person."

     "That's horrible," Ruby mumbled. She had avoided most high school drama by being kind of out of it. Sure, she had her first love and that broken heart, some fights between friends, but the few she had stayed close, nothing political or cruel like that.

     "Not even the most unpleasant part. No one believed her except her 'needs to prove himself' man child of a boyfriend, a soccer player whose daddy never loved him or something. I'm walking home from practice and he throws some trash at me. I don't think he knew what he tossed had a broken bottle in it, but as you can see, it did." Ruby was mostly speechless when the story finished, her grey eyes sticking mostly to the floor. She had no idea this sort of stuff ever actually happened. Weiss wasn't sad though, a self-satisfied grin on her face said there was more.

     "A few stitches later I decided he needed to be taught a lesson. To do it I had to break up with my girlfriend at the time, but we weren't that serious." Girlfriend. That certainly rung in Ruby's ears as something interesting to hear. "I told the bitch that started this that I would make her co-captain if she would kiss me in front of her boyfriend after practice to announce us as a couple. This was all about a promotion, so offering two promotions was easy enough to win her over, and of course every idiot is dying to believe the Captain was in love with them. She did it and he was quick to throw a punch. This time I knew he was coming, and this time I had Myrtenaster. He walked away with a scar that round and my friends were quick to tell the authorities how he attacked me. I broke up with the girl the day after. I like to think that was fairly brilliant." Weiss seemed proud of herself, and yeah it was clever, but Ruby was still hung up on her getting hurt at all. Plus the girlfriend character. She was the most interesting part of the story.

     "I'm sorry for all that, and for looking through your stuff. I'm just restless." Ruby wanted to change the subject. The high school fights, the girlfriends. It was a bit much out of nowhere. She needed more time to process it.

     "Apologizes won't make my skin heal, dunce. I like to think it's intriguing anyways," Weiss replied putting back her prized sword in its hiding spot, a nice little back cupboard. "I almost stabbed you, I consider us mostly even. So long as you don't do it again."

     "Again, I was just looking for something to do and I kind of wanted to learn about you. I like the scar too by the way, it's pretty cool." Ruby found that way more embarrassing to say than she meant it, her voice hitching somewhere on every fourth word.

     "You could have written, aren't you an aspiring author," Weiss asked and Ruby sunk. She didn't feel like this moment of self-doubt again, but how else to explain.

     "I... I haven't written much since I got here. I'm just worried that it won't turn out alright." Ruby had been so sure she wanted to be a writer while her mom was around. She practiced and read to her whenever she was home. Now with her gone, now that it was do or die, Ruby felt frozen in place.

     "If you aren't talented don't bother with it, if you are stop being a dolt and work," Weiss replied spinning her chair back around to her own passions. She didn't put on her headphones though, eyes locked to the screen, but ears open to Ruby.

     "I don't know what I am when it comes to this." Her mom and Yang always liked them, but a bias was there. She did some stuff for her school's column, but no one ever reads a school newspaper. That was more for work experience. It was so strange to write with no gauge for its quality outside of her own paranoid perspective.

     "Give me what you have, I'll decide. If you think I'll just flatter you then you really don't understand me," Weiss demanded, opening her hand for the booklet. At the moment Ruby almost didn't know what to do, but the second she saw Weiss' annoyed look Ruby knew not to waste a moment of her time, taking out the red covered notebook for her, all of Ruby's embarrassment coming in full force. At least she didn't read it out loud.

     "Hmm, the prose is adequate. You're characters have no names though and no description. Why?" Weiss asked after a page or two of silence, face never shifting expression, just that serious frown. Ruby could literally feel her begin to sweat more by the page.

     "I don't know who they are yet, still working on the cast" Ruby tried to answer, apparently either well or too poorly to be recognized as Weiss kept reading.

     "I like how you use dialogue, very fluid and natural. Feels personable...Oh a curse word, so edgy Ruby." A rare joke from Weiss Schnee, though coated in negative sarcasm. Ruby still had no idea if she hated it or not. The praise felt tingly though "There are drawings here, why?"

     "Thought it might be interesting having, like, art in parts, like multi-media stuff. Make it special," Ruby answered confident in that choice. She didn't draw much, and only sketches of monsters and places to coincide with events. It wasn't half bad if she said so herself.

     "Multi-media…" Weiss hovered on the word; she seemed to taste it with mind, something big under consideration. After a deep pause and quick run of a few pages she finally spoke again, leaving Ruby more confused as before. "You could have a concept album as well."

     "What?"

     "A concept album. A series of songs that tell a story or concept. Essentially like a soundtrack, have it designed to play at certain parts. Might be at least a new idea to incorporate into a written work," Weiss handed the notebook back, as if she just suggesting the most casual thing in the world.

     "Wait… Weiss are you suggesting you want to make a soundtrack to my book?" Ruby knew she wasn't the smartest girl ever, but that was what Weiss was trying to say.

     "Well, I never said I, but it would help build my portfolio, so if you are asking. I'll try the opening scene. I'll make a song for it, If you don't like it then I'll know your taste is poor and we'll move on." Ruby felt a smile tug at her cheeks as Weiss pretended not to get excited as well. This had the potential to be something great.

     "Alright, so I didn't write it yet, but for the opening I'm going to do this like ominous slow build to our main heroine, and she's going to be in this like snowy field out in the woods and just like have all these bad guys,, or monsters, or whatever, we can decide, fight her and she's just going to be like crazy good spinning around like a blizzard of doom just like taking down this army. Then we'll pull back the stakes a little after the opening hooks the reader." Ruby didn't realize exactly how much she had thought about it until she opened her mouth to actually tell someone. It was all more or less up there, in some distorted and misshapen form. The kind of adventure fantasy story Ruby wanted, what was holding her thoughts back was her own lack of enthusiasm. Having one person remotely interested in the project was like breathing fire into it. Waking something up that felt kind of dead.

     "Like a blizzard…" Weiss neither seemed impressed or disenchanted with the description. She focused, expression contorted into the usual focused scowl. Without so much as a word, she turned to the keyboard, quickly opening up a new project on her computer. Again Weiss didn't speak as she began playing on the electric piano. Ruby couldn't hear the notes, her private composer was the only one, her headphones now tightly fashioned on. She played the keys in a precise pattern, one two, one two, one two, one two three four with a rapid deviation every third set to something more loose.

     "Ruby, hand me the acoustic and violin, after the melody I have an idea." Ruby could only guess Acoustic meant the less electronic brown looking one than the white and blue slim one. Violin was pretty limited to, only between the obviously super violin and normal chin held one. Weiss quickly grabbed to the guitar of the two, pulling a pick from an inner pocket in her jacket, the pick marked with that same snowflake emblem.

     "I've set a melody with the piano, a build up that stays at a low tempo. Next bit will be something a lot of people call Spanish Guitar, it'll mark this kind of uncontrolled section in the music, though it'll still follow the two, two, two, four pattern of the melody," Weiss explained as she toyed with the guitar, turning knobs and strumming every once in a while. Ruby felt herself nearly bouncing from anticipation, the same ridiculous enthusiasm she started this idea with. The Weiss who was so focused and perfect was back again, this time playing a super complicated riff that Ruby couldn't follow or understand, but it was great, felt energetic, cheerful yet chaotic. It just made Ruby smile, to hear the sounds bounce around in her head. This alone made the feel of that snowy field come even more alive.

     "That was awesome!" Ruby shouted as soon as the playing stopped earning an annoyed growl once again.

     "I was still recording idiot!" Weiss shouted hitting pause on the little red light she had for the computer matched up to her auxiliary mic. Not the shiniest moment, but Ruby didn't feel all her excitement leave just yet.

     "Next part is going to be where you bring all the instruments back for the heart of the blizzard feel you were getting at. I want you to be able to get all this, but since showing you is going to take a lot less time than classes in music theory I'll just have you listen to a temporary version." The Violin was sharp, intense and quick, the recording no longer than a minute. It was rapid, the beat feeling like a quickening cyclone, but Ruby guessed that was the intended feel and it most certainly worked. For a kind of dumb idea, this was the best idea ever.

     It didn't take much time after that to have a finished demo of Weiss' plan. Ruby found herself sitting in a the seat Weiss normally saved for her, a strange and warm place to be, her headphones placed firmly on Ruby's head and the German herself hovering over her, strands of silver brushing the sides of the redhead's face. This moment felt both appealing and nauseating in how nervous Ruby was just to be there. To say the wrong thing or touch the worst thing and be kicked out before hearing the final result of over an hour of work.

     "Remember the demo isn't finished, I'll re-record most of it in the sound booth and there will be more instruments throughout, but I'm not missing class on your account," Weiss explained, her voice muffled by the headphones.

     Ruby nodded in agreement almost ready to disappear into the void of music. "So if this works out, we're partners?" Ruby asked the distorted voice of Weiss.

     "If you consider owing me for all my current and future wasted time as partnership then I suppose so," she replied though gargled and difficult to hear. Didn't matter, Ruby heard the important part. They were totally partners. Operation friendship was completely successful.

     "Thanks, Weiss. For letting me in."

     "Shut up and listen."

     The music poured in after that, piano first in something Weiss called a walking pace. It was a slow build into the guitar, same recording as before with more context. Ruby thought about the scene for a bit, and absolutely did it match, but she already knew that. In this musically driven moment of both close contact and verbal isolation Ruby thought a bit more about Weiss who looked down at her above with the most analytical eyes, searching for some critical thought in Ruby's glowing grey ones. Instead she just had a goofy grin on. The song reached the stormy end part. The melody back, but at around two times speed something Weiss called presto. It was in this presto that Ruby smiled, thinking about something. It had been a long time since she crushed on someone, about a year even. Ruby had assumed Penny would have been the one first, but no strangely enough it was the pale composer looking down at her. Ruby didn't even feel anxiety at the realization. Crushing on a friend happened a lot for her. Instead she was just happy to feel it. Happy for today. It really was like a blizzard of pleasant things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *** Hey guys sorry for not keeping the every two days promise, my internet went out! I'm back now (old notes) Omg its 7 AM and I'm just finishing this ;~; someone kill me please. Well this chapter I've been trying to do more dialogue and less prose, see how everyone feels about it, let me know! Also happy to do more White Rose, and have a day where we learn about Weiss a bit and her dreams and choices. Plenty of mystery about her still, but in due time.
> 
> I want to thank LazyKatze for the edits, who btw is waking up early in the morning so she can do them before leaving on vacation! So you all should say thank you by reading Layers of Ice her awesome fic. You can find it on my favorites list if you want :D
> 
> Edit: So a guest review asked how you add audio to a written book. Well you would have a set of tracks that the books would have say a subscript number corresponding to a numbered track list, that you play as you read as sort of mood setting. Plus it's a concept album so in theory it would tell the story in a more ethereal sense by itself as a companion piece. It's a weird idea, but Weiss mentions that it's weird cross medianess is why it's kind of interesting.
> 
> edit: Even more edits by Aniko, thanks to him it's even cleaner!


	6. Earnest

**Ruby Rose**

    Sweetness of dreams was something Ruby loved to dive into. They were always vivid and somewhat surrealist, perhaps a remnant of all the fairy tales her mother use to tell to her before bed. By now The Brothers Grimm were a permanent component to the dream world she found herself in. This time it was a castle, or a cathedral made of white stone, almost as if built of mirrors. Snow drifted through the open roofs, a moon above shooting light down below making the mirror-like surface glow bright in the deep night. It was beautiful despite being devoid of color and simply made of shades. Flashes of color though, Ruby could not identify where and why they came. Dreams are convoluted things, only showing what the mind would allow, this time not playing in the waking girl's favor. When the brightness died down, the light went dull, the fragments of that spectrum emanating from a spinning cylinder in a familiar rapier. The luminescence glowed dim but expansive onto its wielder, a woman in white, face marred with blood, standing by the stained glass image of snowflake.

    "Ruby, play with me!"

    The image blurred, unfocused and dim. Ruby still dreaming tried to recall it, desperate to get that thing she was missing: Characters. However, she got instead a combination of vertigo from a spin, the crushing feeling of Yang's weighty, if only from muscle, body falling on Ruby, and the crash of hitting the floor. Opening her eyes, Ruby was on the ground, the bed still just cushions suspended by ropes was completely flipped, and her delighted half-sister dressed in her pajama shirt and shorts. God, Yang and her shorts. They were probably a crime in some countries.

    "Sup?" the blondie asked, having comfortably landed right on top of Ruby, the bedding landing nicely on the sister's mass of golden hair. She let herself be comfortable, swaying her legs back and forth, resting her chin in her hands, and giving Ruby her award winning smile.

    "Morning, sis. How're you doing?" Ruby groaned out, returning a pained smile. Yang was a big girl, only about two percent fat, but the muscle on her made for a _very_ big girl, with a lot of weight to be crushing the redhead's chest.

    "I'm bored!" Yang shouted, elongating every syllable as it passed. She collapsed completely, letting her body go slack on Ruby. Yeah, there was no getting up.

    "We can do whatever, sis... just please, I'm dying." Yang chuckled, rolling to the side of Ruby, still not getting off the floor. Ruby lay there on the hard wooden floor covered in her sister's hair, beddings, and shattered memories from a dream, but she could breathe again and she was so happy.

    It was a Saturday, what that meant for Ruby and Yang was different depending on the week. Yang almost always went off to work an odd job, work out with Pyrrha, but most often go to hang out with Blake. Ruby didn't mind though, she had so much work to do on her new project with Weiss, as well as Penny occasionally texting, usually asking to come over so that Ruby rarely found herself bored and left to her own devices to think to herself. Largely Saturdays were pretty awesome, though Ruby felt more and more that she preferred the weekdays. She got to see everyone, each of whom she began to make friends with, especially Weiss. Over the weekends all Ruby got to do with her was text. Still, that left an odd question.

    "Yang, what are you doing here? Isn't it like, Blake o'clock?" Ruby asked, looking over to the frowning Yang.

    "She's at work..." Yang muttered, staring back at Ruby with those strange lilac eyes. She didn't need to explain that that meant Pyrrha was busy as well and any other would-be contacts had vanished into the four corners of El Vale, never to be seen again. Ruby didn't mind though, few days the two sisters actually had time to spend together since the start of school. Sure, they had the mornings and evening together, but Ruby wanted family now more than ever.

    "So what's the plan?" Ruby asked, the little girl in her looking on with a twinkling in the eyes remembering all the crazy moments together as kids. Yang smirked at that, her own inner child staring back at those silver eyes. The elder sister turned over, grasping Ruby's hands, a shake to symbolize their commitment as compatriots.

    "I think it's time for an adventure."

* * *

    "Bl-a-key budd-y!" Yang shouted, stepping into a bar connected to the outside main plaza. The sign above read 'Port's Pub, best Irish pub around!' as if there were any more in the entire province. The spot was pretty, the main plaza made of yellow brick with a statue and water fountain center like a courtyard to what seemed like an ancient mall made of shops in what had to be a building older than Ruby's home country. The bar itself looked sort of scary from the outside, green glass that you couldn't see through for windows and just a heavy wooden door to escape. _Well I suppose this was an adventure. Wait Blake?_ Well Ruby knew what this adventure was really about.

    "Yang, this is a bar…" Ruby half asked, half stated, entering that wooden building to find a surprisingly roomy interior. The length of the bar stretched quite a few feet with a back covered in alcohol and other assorted drinks Ruby could not understand, though Guinness was well represented for sure, the only thing that looked remotely familiar to the redhead.

    "No! It's a pub and restaurant they serve food too!" Yang explained, walking backwards to a barstool with practiced measure, clearly a regular, sliding into stool, and spinning herself right around to the woman working the counter. "Hey pretty girl."

    "We serve appetizers and tapas, Yang, we are not a restaurant," Blake replied, her amber eyes raised in disbelief, neither impressed nor endeared by the blondie's smile. _Someone sure had gotten use to that heart melting smile_ , Ruby thought, _maybe she was trying too hard._ Definitely was a conversation they needed to have about oh-so-pretty Blake. She dressed herself in black, as usual, her monochrome vest this time complimented with pitch jeans and a gorgeous studded belt that Ruby _so_ wanted. This Blake girl could get Yang's admiration no question.

    "Where's the customer service!" Yang complained with a joke, her smile still bright.

    "Bienvenido, welcome to Port's Pub, the best Irish pub in all of El Vale, the best place for foreigners, travelers, sailors, and students alike. What would you like?" The line was practiced and tired, Blake not giving a damn about Yang's request for formal service. Though Ruby appreciated it, nodding as she spun around in her own stool.

    "Can I have a strawberry sunrise with just a sprinkle of—" Yang started, but a loud clank of a glass hitting the bar as Blake worked her magic cut the bigger woman off.

    "Of nothing. You drove here," the bartender retorted, filling the glass up for her suddenly frowning customer. "Ruby, you want anything? I can get you like a beer if you don't let Yang have it," Blake asked, turning to Ruby with a light smile. The Italian girl seemed really nice, even if she fought with Weiss too much. She was practically looking after the redhead in their shared class, not to mention around the dorms. All in all she had Ruby's golden star for friendness.

    "Uhh, do you have something other than…" Ruby tried to explain, feeling a little embarrassed. Even if it was legal, something about drinking before twenty-one felt weird unless it was a sip from a parent or something arrived at through comically nefarious means.

    "I got some milk, or soda, or mixer I can make something with?" Blake asked, catching on way before Ruby finished, never bothering the girl about her more unusual preference to not getting dunk only a few hours after waking up.

    "Milk please?" Ruby replied, giving the best smile she could. She would probably be the first girl to ever order milk at Port's Pub and would do so proudly.

    "No problem. So why are you bugging me? Not running with Pyrrha like normal I see," Blake asked with normal tone, but a mild hitch at the mention of Pyrrha. Ruby didn't really know why, the two girls got along fabulously during the school hours.

    "Nope," Yang answered with a slight bitter expression, perhaps her drink a bit sour, after all Ruby didn't even know what it was. "Where's Coco?"

    "Sick. I'm taking her shift," Blake retorted as Ruby tried to think who this Coco character was. No one at the dorms had that name and there wasn't all too many Spanish Coco's Ruby had ever met. Maybe a graduate?

    "If she's upstairs, should I say hi? Oh, and the old man?" Ruby could guess the old man was whoever this Port person was.

    "Don't bother Coco, she needs rest. As for Port, he's working in the back on food. Tapas are more popular than drinks this early." At this point Ruby stopped really paying attention. The conversation wasn't for her, this whole trip wasn't exactly for her, more an excuse to bother Blake at work. Wasn't a big problem, Blake was pretty cool and the bar wasn't too bad. It was large and almost all old wood work, the core pub was divided into three sections, each one with its own TV playing some sort of soccer game and their own tables. One section in the back with pool tables and smoke looked to be filled with mostly larger men, the main bar which had only a few customers eating these tiny what looked like really sophisticated bagel bites with egg and fish, a staple of this country's every meal. The bar had stairs to the above, though it was a fairly small little entrance.

     The last section was a bit raised higher, given just a few tables and its own little sign that said 'Beacon' in bold. It seemed to be an understood VIP area though still just as homey and nice, not too far from the bar itself. There was only one girl sitting there, dressed in a skirt with long socks and tight coat, the colors of grey and gold pronounced on her while she worked, long hair swaying with the movement of her pen.

     "Velvet's here!" Ruby shouted happy to see her, waving over to the brunette who smiled and waved back. She was one of the few dorm mates she hadn't had much time to befriend, though Ruby so wanted to add her to the physics study buddy list.

     "Yeah, she likes to study here. Some of the others come in about now, too," Blake replied, refilling Ruby's milk without being asked. Sweet of her, but Ruby so hoped it wasn't charge by glass or this was going to go poorly for her pockets at this rate.

     "This place is like the coolest for the foreign student's. We made this place its fortune last year," Yang announced with a laugh, downing her non-alcoholic drink like it was some devil's liquor. Blake almost lost it, the chuckle from her lips cracking the usual stoic look she had.

     "You are so dumb," Blake answered, shaking her head in disgust as well as joy. "We also get some sailors from out of country and some of the natives who like some foreign taste too—" a shout cut her off.

     "Señorita!" one of the few people drinking in the back called, raising an empty glass as a signal.

     "Speaking of the natives, excuse me. Perdón señor un momento!" Blake ran after the patron, swaying with her step, something Ruby noticed Yang seemed fascinated with. To be fair she did have the booty.

     "So… if everyone in the dorms comes, you think we could run into Weiss?" Ruby took a sip suddenly aware of the awkwardly specific name drop. "Or Penny?"

     "Penny comes here all the time, Weiss on the other hand... no one really wants her here. She picked a fight with Blake the other day and she's just so anti-social since she got here." Yang was still looking at her friend and couldn't see how that made Ruby frown a little sickly. Weiss was cool, she could be a stickler, but she was generally there for whatever Ruby needed, and in her own way was a massive encouragement even in the short month or so since the redhead got here. People just needed to get a chance, to see Weiss' confidence not arrogance.

     "She's not that bad," Ruby might have said it, but she never got a chance. Slender familiar arms went over the young girl's neck, draping her in a comfortable warm hug. A Penny hug.

     "If she's Ruby's friend, she's alright in my book, right friend?" She was in her usual overalls, a charming little weirdness to her, and those big eyes giving Ruby a friendly wink.

     "Hey Penny." Blake was back, quick to toss a beer to ginger.

     "Thanks!" the young ginger said gleefully, doing something Ruby found both impressive and a kind of frightening, snapping off the top with just her palms.

     "Why no drinks for me!?" Yang groaned, sticking out her tongue to Blake who in turn just shook her head and refilled the whining girl's drink.

     "'Cus you have to drive home," Blake explained

     "You could drive me and sleep over!" Yang looked up with a devil's smile, swaying back and forth with a hint of what Ruby thought was maybe allure or just mischievousness. Whatever it was didn't work. Blake was stone-faced.

     "Yang, not again. Ask Pyrrha to sleep over. I've got work in the morning." Yang's smile broke again, now more potently than before, opting to sip from her drink more than reply outright, those lilac eyes full of fire seeming awful dim at the moment.

     "Awkward. So friend, what are you up to?" Penny asked, swiveling around in her new stool, nursing her beer slowly, very chaste drinker, which Ruby appreciated. Now was not drunken time.

     "I think I'm learning about my sister," Ruby joked, taking very meager tastes of her own milk, not a sipping drink, but hey, live dangerously. "Relaxing, I never knew about this place. I should explore more." This place was nice, or perhaps the hot milk was going to her head. Still it was easy to just sit back in the stool with Penny and relax.

     "I'm happy we became friends, Ruby," Penny said as the time began to pass and Ruby had to agree. Soon hours came and went. Ruby hung out with Penny and Velvet, learning more about the Australian girl than she ever knew before. That she had been there since last semester, and she had dreams of being the top in her studies at Beacon. Others came and went as well. Jaune showed up, surprising Ruby with a strangely friendly attitude, even if he was a bit too forward with the rest of the girls. Still, he had a charm in earnestness.

     Eventually almost everyone in the program was there, Penny, Jaune, Ren, Nora, Blake working, and Yang constantly following her about. Meeting new friends was seemingly hard, but it felt homey here in this little wood worked corner marked Beacon. There was just one piece missing, a girl in white who seemed to be a phantom no one talked about. A twitch in her made Ruby need to text her or try, though a soft hand on the redhead's shoulder made the typed out invite stop suddenly in its place.

     "Hey Rubes. Mom's home from work and we got dinner to go to, you alright?" Yang was looking not so cheery herself, though she smiled brightly as soon as Ruby frowned with her.

     "Yeah sis, just thinking about stuff. You?"

     "I'm golden."

* * *

 

     The ride back was at dusk, the setting sun and bright orange over the town blanketing the land in a pretty red hue. The two didn't say much going from the bar to the village, didn't talk about how pretty the sunset was on the tan houses, how cool the bar was, what was up with Yang, or how much Weiss being left behind bothered Ruby. She didn't feel like talking right now, just hugged onto her sister tightly as they went home, the new home.

     Wasn't long before they got home. Both Yang's mom and their father were home judging from the cars upfront, small things compared to the ones people drove in Oregon. Everything was turning a purple or blue now, the light fading for the evening. It was nice to be home, nicer when they stepped inside and smelt whatever was cooking. A warm smell of delicious meat, something much needed after the only sort of food Ruby had all day was scattered glasses of warm milk.

     "Sit you two, we're waiting." The first voice Ruby heard was her father, the skinny Chinese guy that smiled and said nice things as far as she knew from her past. He was a good guy, and Ruby was happy to sit at the table. Especially as Yang and her mother started speaking in Spanish so fast Ruby could not even begin to understand, it was nice having someone there who always put in the effort to talk to her.

     "Thanks for the food," Ruby started, sitting down at her own side, the feast in front of them massive mix of dishes, both Spanish and Chinese. Things that resembled pot stickers next to pulled pork, white and yellow rice, grapes, grilled bananas, and a strange spongy egg and potato dish that Ruby had begun to grow a deep appreciation with even if she couldn't pronounce what it was.

     "So how's school?" her father started, taking a bite from some rice and beans mix.

     "Alright, I met this really cool girl Weiss, she's helping me with a project. I like her a lot," Ruby explained innocently as she stared down the black beans. It was one of those things, she knew it was delicious, knew it for a fact, but damn if they just looked repulsive. Those things were going in her mouth no matter how much the redhead's mind begged her hand to stop. _Be strong Ruby,_ was the mantra she preached taking a bite.

     "Is this like a girlfriend girl or just a friend girl?" Ruby coughed right into a napkin, face beat and scared. That was it, the beans win.

     "Wait, what?!" Ruby shouted, eyes wide.

     "Was that confusing?" her dad asked Yang, who was just digging into the pork like it had killed her family.

     "Nope!" was all the big sister could mutter between bites.

     "You know!?" Ruby shouted at all of them, a complicated mix of panic, relief, betrayal, and just a fine little drop of utter confusion to finish this cocktail.

     "We all know dude," Yang was near doubled over laughing, little traitor telling them all Ruby's secrets. Justice would be swift, Ruby would have her revenge even if it meant a lot of water balloons being purchased in the near future.

     "What how?! Why?!" Ruby needed proof of course before enacting justice, even if she already felt a little humiliated and mortified.

     "Rubes, the only one making a big deal out of this is you sweetheart. Summer told me years ago," her father replied. That wasn't fair at all. Ruby wasn't allowed to be angry at her dead mom. Though maybe she could have told her that the closet was a bit more open than the redhead was left to believe.

     "Well I didn't know!" Yang's mom shouted, looking over to her husband, lilac eyes a bit more red tonight. Least someone got to be confused with Ruby, though this was not her coming out plan.

     "Don't worry mom, next time we'll put you on the weekly Ruby newsletter," Yang joked making their father smile as he tossed over a grape to her. In all her class big sis just caught it with her mouth earning a thumbs up from her dad.

     "Do not do that, have better manners like your sister," Envida chastised, pointing a finger towards Yang. Taking a breath her eyes turned back to Ruby a cool expression on her lips. "Well Ruby I am shocked-"

     "I got like six years of anecdotal evidence that you are so not," Yang interrupted

     "But! In my country there is no problem with that. Just you seemed so… dainty, not like my rude daughter. I am surprised, but not upset." Ignoring the inappropriate stereotype, it was nice to know Envida was tolerant and understanding enough to not make a big deal. Sure, Spain had gay marriage legalized for a while now, but that didn't mean everyone liked it for sure.

     "Seems like it runs in my blood. I knew I was a ladies man, but I didn't think it was genetic," the father joked, taking a bit of pulled pork, earning a giggle from Yang, but an annoyed groan from his wife.

     "Shush, you set a bad example for them," she complained.

     "So you knew dad?" Ruby wasn't exactly ready to let it go, not just yet. She wasn't mad, just exposed, embarrassed, and yet she could not really explain why. Earnestness was the girl's principal trait Ruby had for sure, but everyone has something about themselves that they don't really know how to talk about much less deal with people knowing off the bat.

     "Was I not supposed to?" the father asked, looking actually sad. Ruby never considered how that might hurt him to not talk, but they weren't close. Well now was the right time, to build the relationship they never had and to do that meant being honest, earnest, and true.

     "Well I thought you'd be all like 'this dishonors the family' or something," Ruby admitted a bit more embarrassed how little she knew her father. His wife finally broke into a laugh, Ruby seeing where Yang really got it from.

     "Oh come on, that's racist." Yang was the next in the wave of laughter. "You're both Chinese too you know?" he pleaded with the saddest look on his face. That broke it for Ruby, she couldn't hold it and just started laughing too. "Come on, some cultural pride people!"

     "Sorry... I don't know...I don't really know much—" Ruby tried to explain between laughs.

     "Yeah, I getcha. We haven't had much time together. I'm sorry for that," Ruby's father admitted, a somber tone falling over the entire dinner, no one really knowing what to say beyond that for their own reasons. The two of them were never close, but they could be. Ruby took another bite, swallowing it softly and smiling.

     "Nope, no apologies, and I don't know dad. I don't know which yet, but she's really cool!"

* * *

     "So ya going to try and boink Weiss," Yang asked with no sense of subtly, preferring instead to sit on Ruby's couch in her PJs and comfortably chewing on what could no longer possibly be a lollipop after how long she had be eating it. She was smashing away on the controller, unlocking fighters for one of the Mortal Kombat games she had bought Ruby, but more accurately had bought for herself. The redhead didn't mind, after all a gift was a gift, she would value the matches together as a form of sisterly bonding if ever there was one.

     "No, that's not what I'm trying to do," Ruby replied, her cheeks turning as one might dare to call, rosy color, though the redhead hoped she could go through college without those middle school puns coming up again. Ruby had no objective right now other than texting Weiss, which she was, even if the talk with the family made everything feel weirder.

     "You should find someone who has less of a problem," Yang muttered angrily, her baby-sister-protector nature showing off as she landed one of the most brutal and just inhumane juggle combo Ruby could remember seeing, "I don't like how she bullies you sometimes."

     "She doesn't bully me," Ruby mumbled back from her spot. Not on the couch, but a much more comfortable and wonderful suspended mattress, one of the way more fun additions to the bedroom if she could say so herself. She could see the TV fine from here and had a lovely view of the night sky whenever she wanted. Perfect place to curl up and panic while staring at her phone and waiting for a message.

     "She totes does," Yang replied, but Ruby didn't care to look. The phone buzzed with Weiss' reply, the message snapping to the smart phone's top screen.

     'Have you been writing? .' _Well that was an unlucky response_ , Ruby couldn't help thinking, assured that Weiss was not in fact bullying her.

     The response was typed out nimbly, a quick sentenced before the redhead replied with an excuse. 'Not in the last couple of days. I want to introduce this new character, kind of like a lady knight, but I don't know how! D=' The girl in the dream was a must, it was vague and blurry, but that sword was too cool, and that castle unlike anything she had seen before. Dreams were like idea factories.

     "Yang, what about you and Blake?" Ruby asked looking over to her sister, which caused a pause. The blonde girl frowned at first before tossing the controller away and collapsing into the soft embrace of the couch. The smile snapped back onto Yang's face and she was back, the sister who never knew sadness.

     "Stuff happens, people don't like you sometimes, got to work them out. Blake is my bestie, I adore her. That's all we are."

     As if to match Yang's words, a sullen message rang on Ruby's phone, the name Weiss on the top. 'The only one holding you back is you.' That was crushing to the self-esteem. Ruby didn't bother replying, the sting a little too fresh.

     "Yang, I know I'm in a weird place, with mom and all that, but we're family. I'll be the best sister I can and if you need to talk about it, or anything, come to me." Yang smiled more naturally the cheer in her again.

     "Nothing to worry about, Rubes, just come play with me! I'm bored." The bigger girl already had a controller in hand, sprawled onto the couch with the fight and _fight_ response back in Yang's system. For a moment Ruby thought about it, tossing her silly phone away and getting up from the bed, but the vibration stopped her. A new message with Weiss' name.

     'I know you can do this, I know because I watched you write before. Ruby don't let you psych yourself out. I don't work with anything but the best and I'm still here. Believe in my blood thirsty cynicism if nothing else.' Ruby had gained an appreciation over time for knowing what Weiss was saying more than the literal interpretation. Weiss was saying simply 'I believe in you, and you earned it.'

     Ruby could feel herself curl up into a ball of happy, the bed feeling so warm and inviting as she typed out a question Ruby had wondered for a long while. 'Weiss how did you get so confident in yourself?' If only the redhead had that same confidence she would be out there rocking the writing world, maybe even Weiss' world, if not exactly in a sexual way, more… more in an everything way.

     "I'll pass, I want to relax," Ruby murmured checking the next message, faster than the one before.

     'I don't think confidence is ever real, it's more… refusal? I don't know how to explain it in English. I have to succeed, so I can't think of anything but doing so.'

     'Will power?' Ruby replied, guessing at it, though she would have never thought Weiss' confidence was anything but absolute. Maybe underneath it all was a cute little scared girl, just the same as the redhead, even if that sputtery nervousness was so much more apparent.

     'Not quite, but similar. I would like to say thank you for dealing with my more difficult personality. I can be intense at times,' Weiss next message made Ruby glow, something she really wished Yang was not in here to say. This was unacceptably embarrassing middle school level of crushing this little college girl was feeling.

_What do I say back,_ Ruby screamed internally, _Girl's dig confidence, right? Wait, do I dig confidence?_ The answer was apparent. 'You're actually way sweeter in texts ;P I knew you had a soft side,' managed to be the final draft that made it through.

     'And there it goes. .' Weiss replied in a snap, the message bright and a little less motivational. _Okay Ruby, reel it back, more sappy and earnest. What would you say?_

     'Thanks Weiss. For believing in me. I won't let you down!' That was so embarrassing, Ruby had to hide her face in a pile of pillows for a minute after writing it before the girl could even send it out.

     'I'm sure you won't. No more being sappy now, we're supposed to be adults.' Not a bad reply.

     'An adult that sleeps in an awesome hammock bed! :P' _Bet Weiss never had one of these before_ , Ruby thought while avoiding any other applicable thoughts about her bed and Weiss. Totally not the right stage.

     'You serious?'

     'Yep! :D'

     'Okay, correction, I am an adult.' Ruby smiled, knowing Weiss was joking. The heiress would literally kill her if she said it, but the redhead noticed she had a bit of the anime tsundere in her blood.

     'You'll work with me Monday, right?' Ruby asked, considering how excited she was for school, for writing in general. It wasn't as scary with Weiss, a good partner for stuff like this. Wondering what the hell you were even doing wasn't so rough with others. Looking out to the moonlight from the window, Ruby felt a little at ease. This was exactly how she wanted to spend a Saturday evening. Sunday could have some adventures, but right now, now was the time for a Weiss' little responses.

     'Of course. We're a team after all.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ****(old notes) So Choice finally is out and I get to do this little chapter. It was pretty fun, some of my continuing effort to go a bit more dialogue heavy. Let me know how you feel about it in a review if you can. I would love you forever :D
> 
> I want to thank again Lazykatze for A. Editing, and B. being my compatriot for all this writing non-sense. Just being able to have someone to talk and work with while i do all this makes the time pass by quicker and makes me feel a lot better about the chapter. She is an amazing author as well, her White Rose High School A.U. Layers of Ice is one of my favorites of all time. See her for that as well as more fics later maybe ;P


	7. Her Chocolaty Gratitude

**Ruby Rose**

    "So you have a sloth."

    "Yes."

    "And he lives in your closet?"

    "It's a very large closet, and there's a fake tree for him."

    "And Glynda doesn't know?"

    "To be fair they don't make a lot of noise."

    The truth was staring deeply into Ruby's soul with the most adorable god damn black eyes she had ever seen. Its little hairy body comfortably latched onto the redhead's chest, its tired claws grappling snuggly around her in the most human-like hug any animal had ever given the girl. The thing that just broke her, snapped her heart into a billion happy pieces was how it smiled the sleepiest contented grin just to be there together. Ruby didn't want one, she _needed_ one.

    "I'm keeping him." Ren laughed at that, or more like smiled silently a little, if you could catch it in that beautiful twilight moment of emotion.

    "Come on, Monty, don't break the girl's heart," the young and equally lackadaisical man called out to his companion, the sloth detaching for the green sleeves of Ren's dress shirt. Taking away that little Sloth was paramount to ripping out Ruby's heart, but cute and a little furrier. _One day I will have you… I promise_.

    As soon as Ren was convinced he could manage one sloth down. Desperate as the redhead might be, she totally owed him one for being let in his room at the stark hour of ten, a few hours before his classes for sure, a time of deep meditation and slumber for the kid. Not to mention how Ruby had come in a complete sourpuss for the hour, until Monty the fluffy love ball was dumped on her.

    "You named him Monty? That was my chem teacher's name in high school. Are there a lot of Monty's in Korea?" Ruby asked, thinking nothing of it.

    "Nah, but we got them back home in China before we moved. Not a lot of Monty's there either, but one day my mom gave myself and my two sister's different sloths. Monty, Miles, and Kerry," Ren replied, letting the little guy wrap around him and pass out almost immediately.

    "Why all English names?"

    "Seemed like a good idea at the time. I mean, you're Chinese, too. Why are you named Ruby?"

    "How do you know I'm half-Chinese? I'm a ginger!" _Maybe a little dark and freckle-less for a ginger, but still a tiny ginger!_

    "You look it," Ren answered in a snap, completely serious.

    "I do?" Ruby questioned, eyes filled with interest in what exactly told her away. Maybe her cheeks or eyes or something only this kid's masterful perception could grasp.

    "No, Nora told me," Ren revealed with a cool disposition, flipping open his textbook and back to reading. Ruby just pouted, slumping back into the side office chair. Defeated and drained of all semblance of pride she resorted to spinning around on the swivel.

    Ren lived in a space not that different from Weiss, complete with a kitchen, though not quite as neatly and perfectly kept, with tiny splotches of old pancake mix crusted on the oven's top. He often made food late at night, according to Weiss, though she was up studying or making music, a gentleman's and lady's agreement not to complain about the other silently formed between the two. The rest of the room seemed pretty nice, if not immaculate, certainly cleaner than Ruby's. There was a stack of books, most medical, pressed across the open right wall. The closet Weiss had turned to a sound booth was now backed with assortments of dress shirts, scattered coats, and hung over dress pants, though a copious amount of room was left for the little guy's living space. The bed was in a mirrored place, covered in green sheets and a blanket with a lotus pattern. Instead of a nightstand was his desk, fitting for two oddly enough, as if he had a common guest.

    Whoever it was, Ruby's spinny chair felt mighty used to show more of their presence, the seat broken and the fabric a little worn. It made the girl feel less like a complete and total burden on Ren coming in out of nowhere. He seemed even half expecting it, perhaps more privy to specific happenings of his roommates than anyone considered prior.

    "So Ruby, you don't have to talk about it, but what was that all about with Weiss? Is everything okay?" He didn't seem to ask with much interest, eyes still locked on his book, occasionally saying a line or two, clicking something, or typing in a search. Everything was in Korean, or maybe Chinese, so understanding any of it was beyond the young girl.

    Ruby wanted to answer, but there wasn't one. It was a normal night before. They had stayed up, texting late as always while Weiss studied; eventually one of the pair would acquiesce and go to sleep. Last night Ruby was the one after a couple of less than beautiful beatings from Yang via Halo taught her videogames and fumbling with a phone were meant to be separate activities.

    The morning came and Weiss was silent. Class started and suddenly she was sick. After all that when everyone departed and it was just Ruby outside of the door did she see her, after quite a bit of banging. The silver hair on her was let down, the long locks combed and clean, but not fashionable as Weiss always was. She was in her PJs, blue and frilled though Ruby could barely see with how little the door was cracked open. What she did see was actually way more distressing and bothersome. Her eyes were irritated and red, the way they got from a lot of crying. That very kind of crying that showed in the hitch in someone's voice, the same hitch she had when the most bothersome sounds left her lips.

    "I need to be alone. Give me a day. Please." It was a formal please, not a request, but the kind of words that sound like the snappiest, best dressed demand one would ever hear.

    Ruby nodded, the door slammed, and now all of a sudden she was crying too. That was how Ren found her, more like heard her knocking on his door. She never intended to bother the boy, but she didn't want to be alone. Weiss was crying, now she was crying, and nobody was around, and sure there was no way it had anything to do with Ruby, but suddenly she felt like it was all her fault and that heavy loneliness was setting in all over again. There's a really deep sort of hole one falls in upon realizing they are completely alone and a vagabond without a home to speak of. That was a dark enough feeling to wake a rather mild-mannered student to gather some amount of company. Not Ruby's proudest moment.

    "I don't know, but she's really upset. I think she was crying." Maybe telling Ren wasn't exactly proper, maybe it was all supposed to be a big secret, but it wasn't like Weiss left her a fine set of instructions to dictate exactly what to do.

    "Yeah, I heard her last night before I went to bed. Lots of screaming."

    "What'd she say?"

    "German, German, German, something bitch, German. Sorry Ruby, it's all I got. Unless Monty reveals a hidden linguistic skill." The sloth was silent on the issue, yawning into Ren's green shoulder. _I forgive you cutie._

    "Thanks for hanging out. Mind not, uhh, telling anyone I cried?" Ruby asked with a worried smile, scratching the back of her neck, an awkward sod by any measure.

    "I get home sick, too, I don't think anyone who loved their family hasn't had one of those days. You're Nora's friend and she, as silly as this sounds, is a good judge of character," Ren reasoned, petting his pet, "Plus my little buddy likes you. I mean, he's a dumb ball of fluff, but it works."

    Ruby discovered something about Ren that morning. He was kind of like Blake, despite being quiet, and not as bombastic as Nora, or maybe because of that, the kid ended up one of the easiest people she had known to talk to without recourse. He just seemed someone to withhold any judgment, whether that was a result of some sort of Zen like practice, or not caring it was pretty cool. Definitely a new friend.

    "I think she's lonely too. No one seems to talk to Weiss," Ruby started again, thinking about why the young girl would have been be crying. Maybe she was missing Germany, though memory could not recall a single mention of the family in the northeast or her hometown.

    "She doesn't ask either, though that fight with Blake," Ren paused, clearly taking a moment to think, "Blake's kind of the eldest around here. Didn't help. Maybe you should try to, you know, connect them?"

    "But they are like sworn enemies no—"

    A buzz familiar to Ruby went off in her pocket. She didn't even think about finishing her sentence, pulling the phone out and checking the messages, begging for something from Weiss to say she was okay and that they were cool, whatever it was that tore her up. Instead, Penny.

    'Hey friend! I'm out early with Nora! Are you with Weiss?'

    It wasn't what she was hoping for, but Ruby was a few miles out from complaining. Weiss might have been the... special friend to her, but Penny held the best friend title pretty firmly.

    'No I'm in Ren's, I'll be out in a second where do you wanna meet?' Ruby typed up quickly, sending the message on its way. Her host was exhausted, though he always seemed to be so, eyes drooped and dark, his movement a bit stifled. Kid needed a break and Ruby aimed to give him one.

    "Penny's out. I think I'm going to see her, you seem like you need to—"

    "Sleep?"

    "Yeah."

    "Desperately," Ren stood just to fall again on his bed, collapsed with his little buddy still tight to him, seemingly unaware there was even any movement to begin with. Ruby had never seen someone just pass out on cue, it was even kind of fantastic, though what to do with the aforementioned sloth, or if she should just leave it to do whatever it do.

    End choice, Ruby ignored it and voted to trust Ren's pet ownership know how, traipsing her way out the door in an awkward stealth waddle. Not a sound besides the awkward clicking of the door creaking open and closed, the same noise anyone who has ever tried sneaking anywhere was so intimately familiar.

    Free of all burdens associated with slothing and an unconscious Ren, Ruby took the short walk down to the main Beacon plaza. All the buildings connected to it, and though the signs were not exactly useful to her yet, walking in almost any direction would loop you around to it eventually.

    The plaza itself was beautiful, a simple narrow cobblestone connection between the main campus building and the rest of the city. The only thing unusual was a statue of two knights over a hiding wolf, something to do with the mythic founding of the city. Even this, Ruby had learned, was not inherently odd. Plenty of marble statues and fountains stood in every formal plaza, a physical connection to European Renaissance.

    "Ru-by!" _Nora._ "Ruby! Turn around buddy!"

    Ruby spun around, the sides of her skirt kicking up into a cool, if totally unintended, twirl. Penny was there, waving in her usual overalls and dress combo. Nora was a bit more noticeable in that she was standing on a chair, hopping up in down regardless of the fact that she was in a skirt. Still, Ruby noted, it was really nice to see them.

    "Hey guys!" she shouted back, running for them. Penny ran too, both colliding in one of what had to be Ruby's favorite awkward hugs. "What happened to class?"

    "What happened to you?" Penny asked, pulling Ruby away from her and giving the girl a look. The crying had stopped a while ago, but one of the many follies of incredibly pale features is that redness around the eyes didn't leave the girl as expediently as she hoped.

    "Is someone picking on you?" Nora asked flushed in anger, or excitement, telling which was hard, "I'll break their legs!"

    "No no no, I was going to see Weiss and she was—"

    "She made you cry? I swear Ruby, she puts way too much pressure on you, what does she expect of you? She is not on about you picking a program again, is she?" Penny did this sometimes, Ruby noticed, though it wasn't necessarily bad. The concern was coming from the right place, but it was never apt. Weiss wasn't a bully, just a supporter in a fashion many misconstrued for pushy. In the end though, it wasn't Weiss pulling the strings. They were working on Ruby's story; they were talking about helping Ruby get her dream job. It was always about what Ruby wanted. In some says it felt a little selfish, but only when everyone else was giving Weiss crap about it.

    "No, she didn't," _least not about the program, that was yesterday,_ "She's really upset and wanted to be alone, and for some stupid reason that made me really upset and not want to be alone. It's okay." Thing that was nice, at least from Ruby's perspective, was that Penny always accepted being wrong. Her smile came back with a quick breath and her eyes softened, and little old cheery ginger she was came back in full force.

     "I'm sorry, I just get so worried. You're my friend, I want you to be happy." Penny hugged Ruby again, which was nice. Good way to make the day feel a little optimistic. Nora though let out this weird giggle. Something evil brewing in it.

    "You two are cute," Nora explained, or didn't really.

    "Shush!" Penny answered, getting more out of that than Ruby did.

    "What?"

    "So! What we are going to do today!" Penny yelled over Nora who was saying something Ruby couldn't make out, "I think we should go on an adventure!"

    "Where?"

    "The best place!"

* * *

    "Penny, it's autumn."

    "It's not that cold!"

    "I needed a coat," Ruby countered, looking herself in the mirror of a pub bathroom stall. She still had the hoodie, but now it was over some borrowed swimwear of Penny's that implied something a bit more tropical than the European Atlantic out of season. It was nice enough for Penny to grab something that matched her style, little polka dots of red all over the white primary that at least made for a kind of snazzy one piece, though a bit tight on her chest. For the sake of her best friend's pride, she would not mention it.

    "You kids and your coats!" Nora in her own stall, not crammed all into one nightmare box. The stalls were only two in number and Nora was adamant about having her own. Changing in front of Penny was whatever, not like there was any other choice in high school swim team locker room. All in all Ruby had to admit, the Pub had really clean restrooms, though not exactly the best changing spot, but it was near enough to the beach and Coco, the bartender, swore no one would be bothering them.

    "You wear a vest!" Ruby countered.

    "Not a jacket though!" Nora retorted with a giggle.

    "Don't mind her; we are going to have fun. Water can't be that cold. I mean in England it's colder and I swam in that…"

    "Really?"

    "In the summer," Penny clarified, "With a wetsuit."

    "We should do something else." The ginger girl didn't seem to care for that though, spinning Ruby around to look her straight in those silver eyes. She was a pale little thing, even shorter than her. Pretty though with a cute slim form. She chose a similarly matching green one piece with a little necklace of what looked like a green sword around her neck.

    "Ruby, it'll be fun. We haven't gotten to do much outside of school in a long while, so I figure maybe this will be a nice change of pace," Penny practically begged, ignoring any complaint off hand, but who had the courage to say no to her, "Just till class."

    And so they walked out together, earning a nod of some sort from Coco, the aforementioned bartender girl who, despite being inside, seemed to have a preference for beret and sunglasses. She did look really stylish though, so no one could complain.

    The air outside wasn't nearly as cold as Ruby feared, though it definitely had a sense of chill to it that was very, very, real. Still, there was a bit of the famous Spanish sun blazing even this far north, leaving a warm touch to everyone's skin. The path itself was so pretty, cobble roads down the inner city walls. The yellow brick not far from where they walked, its path carving down from the hilltop castle with its circular towers watching the town below, not a soul there besides the poor guy who had to raise that Spanish flag.

    "One day I'm getting inside there," Ruby happened to mention in a quick stop down the ocean avenue. Here the beach hotels were beginning to supersede the older buildings, so it would be out of view

    "Consider it a date then," Penny mumbled, taking Ruby's hand and pulling her after Nora, "but, uhh, we got plans for now. We'll go on like a Saturday."

    "Maybe we can take Weiss, too. She should get out more." The idea was a good one, after all Weiss' seclusion was mostly self-imposed. If she could get her to meet everyone else half way, then it would work out. Perfect plan.

    "Okay, yeah, maybe," Penny answered not so enthused. Not everyone got Weiss, but they would. Ruby knew she could definitely.

    The rest of the path was less ancient mystical Spain and more corporate built resort stuff, kind of felt more like home to Ruby in a kind of depressing way. There were high rises, but not too many of them, long stretches of upraised boardwalks along the beaches where some amount of business was still booming along the different resort spots. There were small venders here and there, open construction, but few swimmers and even fewer without wetsuits. Brave few souls though, just enough to prove their plans at least somewhat valid.

    "Ready?" Penny asked, holding Ruby's hand tight, a bit of cautious hesitation in her.

    "Ready?" Ruby replied.

    "Like, really ready?" And so stalling began.

    "Maybe."

    "Later losers!" Nora shouted, sprinting passed them both. Sand kicked up with her steps, coating both of them in a dusty trail. She tossed away her towels and the backpack of her clothes, her suit was not as protective as the other two's chaste one pieces. All that shielded her from the cold was a heart marked bikini, though she didn't seem to rightly give a damn. That fearless pride of Scandinavia diving off the long plastic boardwalk into a form fitting spin complete with what Ruby could swear was a salute.

    "I'm going." As a former swimmer, there was some amount of pride on the line. Personal and national, this was for her, for Rose and Long families, for America. _Maybe China, too, I guess._ Penny didn't try to stop her. _Good move_. There was no stopping Ruby from doing the most supremely stupid thing she had done all week.

    A rush came before the fall, before the jump, before Penny shouted her name out. It was a powerful rush up the beach planks, before the shallow dive. It felt like being alive. A short respite, then the much more intense and real feeling of the Atlantic in fall hit her, which on the other hand felt like death. It was so cold, unspeakably so. The kind of cold one couldn't describe well enough before the chill itself snapped the victim's attention away. Never again would this folly repeat. Never again.

    "Watch out friend!" Penny shouted out from the surface world above before she crashed into the shallows beside Ruby. The wave of her cannon ball sent an unpleasant torrent of salty ocean water straight into the redhead's mouth forcing her to rise to the surface. The wind above was somehow even cooler than the water below. _So much regret._

    "Good god, this is bloody fucking cold!" Penny shouted in the first curse Ruby had ever heard pass those lips. She was a total shivering mess, the poor girl clutching herself for some heat.

    "Wuss!" Nora was unaffected, the Danish kid swimming backstrokes around them with a delighted hum, not even a slight shudder as she giggled at them and their non-Scandinavian sensibilities.

    "I'm cold, hold me friend!" Penny mumbled, treading the water in a panic.

    "I'm coming buddy!" Ruby answered, rushing over to her with relative ease. Together things weren't so bad, swimming as a single tangled mess was worth it for the little bit of shared heat.

    "So bad idea?"

    "Pretty bad."

* * *

    "So like, I guess I'm worried I can't make it," Ruby admitted, putting another ball of wet sand onto their muddy palisade keep. Their beachfront mini-fortress a crude replica of the one visible from most of Vale. It wasn't too hard; the stone was a similar dark brown to match the limited color palette left to them. Actually structuring it was pretty easy, even without buckets. Penny framed it in driftwood and Ruby meshed it together with water and sand. A nice little activity to enjoy as they dried, the autumn sun at its peak.

    "Friend, you don't need to pick everything today. You are just perfect as is."

 _That's not true_ , Ruby thought, watching Penny extend some of the castle wall foundation with twigs. Both of them were bundled in the towels they had, Ruby adding her hoodie on for good measure. Not like saltwater couldn't come out in the wash.

    "But if I don't act now I might lose any chance of getting anywhere," Ruby added, both to her point and to her own confusion. This precipice of adulthood was getting darker, scarier, and ever more drastic the more Ruby hesitated stepping into it. A life of safety nets left Ruby especially unsuited to the task of self-determinism

    "I think you'll do just fine no matter what," Penny started up, a beacon of unfettered optimism, "What do you think Nora?"

    "I have no idea!" The Dutch girl dropped another load of wet sand, the only one of the three to have no problem going back into the water to collect the much needed materials. "I have no idea what I'm doing! Though I tend to say going head on!" Nora smiled so widely for someone who claimed to be completely lost, something Ruby didn't understand, but totally appreciated.

    "And is that going well for you?" Penny asked, happily collecting what twigs Nora had dropped for herself. The Dane didn't say much in reply, just shrugged and smiled. That was before she tipped over and let herself fall right onto the empty space next to Ruby.

    "Not really well, I finally got to go to school with Ren and we barely get to hang out. You know his whole sleep schedule worked way better when he was like a million time zones away." Nora pouted, honestly upset, but only for a minute. Instead she stared cheerfully at the castle, a happy, if ambitious, glint within those light green eyes as they outlined Fort Ginger and Ruby who was building it up.

    "Who's queen of the Castle?" she asked in such a way that it had to be a trap.

    "No one, I would assume," Penny answered, finishing one of the towers, ignorant of the trouble she just brought.

    "Then I'm queen of the Castle!" Nora declared as she raised herself from the sand, arms up in celebration of her own new found glory and royal status, "and the queen demands tribute!"

    Ruby considered herself pretty chill, someone easy to get along with and not quickly flustered. Or at least so silly that any of the awkwardness she spilled everywhere would be considered cheeky more than flustered. This, this was flustering.

    Nora picked Ruby out of the two, a tribute, pulled up her chin and kissed her. Wasn't a bad touch, kind of warm and nice considering how absolutely freaking cold it was dressed in a bathing suit in autumn. Still, to be fair this was a kiss from a really cute girl, but not the specifically desired cute girl of Ruby's current affections. Nora wasn't a bad kisser, but that didn't make it any less embarrassing. The last kiss was over a year ago in a memory she really didn't think she'd be revisiting today. Left the ginger as red and blushed as her hair.

    "Nora!" Penny screamed, signaling Nora to stop.

    "Not bad, I can see why people would be into that," the Dane mumbled with a giggle.

    "That was a bit, uhh, forward. I mean, I don't mind Nora, it wasn't bad, but is that like customary or something?" Ruby answered, trying not to be so flustered. After all she had never been to Denmark, maybe all the girl's smooch each other there, and maybe it was a secret lesbian paradise of freeform kissing fights. Maybe Nora was just being, well, Nora.

    She didn't reply outright, taking a moment to think, analyzing something. "Yep, I think you're in the clear!" she decided, spinning right around to Penny with an upraised thumb and a dangerous look in her eye. Now Penny was red and fuming, maybe a little too angry.

    "You are the worst dorm mate ever!" Ginger turned against ginger as Penny threw an entire wet sand tower into Nora's face. The Dane dropped onto the floor laughing as Penny threw even more chunks of castle at her. Ruby was actually frightened a bit that the poor girl would begin inhaling chunks of the wet muddy pretend stone between her cries of, "I'm sorry!"

    At all this Ruby was surprisingly happy. The castle was completely in ruin, but no dynasty lasts forever. The stuff with Weiss happened, but she had made a new friend with Ren and reinforced two of the best friendships she had even outside of Spain. There was nothing that lamentable about today.

    "You two are the best, thanks." The joke fighting just stopped at that. Penny and Nora were twisted into a giant sandy mess on top of each other, which was kind of charming.

    "Sorry about that Ruby…" Nora started in a bit of a chuckle, both of them looking a little guilty, but Ruby didn't think anything of it.

    "No, it's cool," the smiling student replied, "Nora, I'm sure things will work out with Ren. He seemed to think really highly of you!" Now the blushing cycle was complete as Nora's cheeks turned a little pink, actually a little wordless and embarrassed for once.

    "Ruby, you okay?" Penny asked, probably sensing what Ruby had noticed already.

    "Yeah, I just think, I think I'm going to just go home today," Ruby declared, knowing just after everything, she was done for today. The gambit of emotions left her a little drained, and now, despite being happy, she wanted to go home and enjoy some chill time. "Penny, you mind copying some notes down for me while I'm gone?"

    "How are you going to get home?" Nora asked.

    "Uh." That caught Ruby by actual surprise. Yang was her ride to and from the school, making skipping later classes a bit of an impossibility. "Walk? I mean we'll go change first of course!" Ruby answered, already knowing she was being dumb. That was way too long a walk from Beacon, even longer from Vale's beach.

    "No, I'll pay for a taxi!" Penny cut in, packing up stuff and going through her wallet.

    "No, that's silly," Ruby argued whilst both Penny and Nora ignored her, combing their Euros to cover a taxi.

    "No you walking is silly, now shush. How many kilometers is it to your house?"

* * *

    It was a short walk back to the pub, but a nice one filled with stupid jokes and more talk about Ren, to which Nora admitted her heavy crush on him. Penny mentioned about home some, and Ruby mostly listened. It was good to do that sometimes, just let others talk.

    Once they got to the pub Coco yelled at them for tracking in sand and called Ruby a taxi. By the time the three came out of the bathroom, the driver was there. Looking forward to a shower, some time to write, and a lot of snack food, Ruby needed to get home. It was then that they all said goodbye.

    Sitting in that taxi as it jerked forward over every soft stone road and bumpy cobble passage, she had some time to think, think about her fortunes with new friends. Penny and Nora were such a lucky find. First thing Ruby was doing when she got home was starting operation friendship with the biggest tray of cookies she could shove in one oven. They would know her chocolaty gratitude.

    Though there was one person Ruby wanted to make something else for, maybe some lightly sugared thin cookies for a special girl who seemed a bit more concerned with her weight than anybody else in the dorm. There had to be something she could do to show how much her support meant to Ruby. Just having someone around to actually make this crazy adventure feel normal.

    In that moment an old though reoccurred to her, just hanging off the side of her mind. _It's always about me._ It was, it was too much now. Sitting across the city from the sea, silently in that taxi in position to watch the ocean fade in the distance between the hills and the town itself, Ruby reached for her phone. She was committed to things not just being about her, not just everyone making sure she was happy. Everyone needed someone.

    'Whenever your ready Weiss lets talk about you I wanna make sure your okay! :3' The message was short, but anything more would seem pushy. Ruby was content with it, sending away the text out to float its way to Weiss' phone. Just something small since the cookies would take till tomorrow, since right now is when it really matter. She didn't expect any reply though, since Weiss had made being alone pretty clear.

    Made the vibration as Ruby sat holding her phone a heart pounding experience

    'You're* let's* want to*, but thank you, Ruby. Really.'

    She didn't respond after that, but it was okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **** (old notes) Hi all! Sorry again for being late, but college is pretty beast and this semester includes advanced integration in calc and I just don't wanna ;~; But I am still committed to Choice, so even if the releases slow I plan on at minimum one release per month AT MINIMUM. I do hope you liked this chapter even if it's kind of a side one about friendship and shit like that :D Also there's a small rosehammer moment for you few and starving rosehammer shippers lol.
> 
> Also can the show just have Coco in it already so I can put her in Choice gosh darn it! D:
> 
> Also want to thank Lazy Katze who is editing this pretty much as soon as she gets home 'cus she is a boss and also would like to tease perhaps a upcoming project with her that may or may not totally be coming out next week. HUEHUEHUEHUE


	8. The Miasma is Thick

**Blake Belladonna**

     "Introducción, Señorita Long!" Blake had her eyes tightly locked to the screen above the college VIP section, all the students cheering for their school's princess of combat. It was packed tonight, many of the patrons from Beacon had forced themselves inside to watch the qualifiers for the Vytal festival. Different sports groups and small teams all played in different tournaments in the build up to the real festival just a month away.

     It was the same section of tournament last year where the two had sort of become a pair. Yang had approached her early on to join the club and to help finalize entry into the boxer's qualifiers here. Never made much sense as to why out of a crowd of students, plenty of other bigger, bulkier, or just better girls she could have picked, she chose Blake. The italian barely spoke Spanish then, just getting in on a charity grant, but all of a sudden she wanted the Italian in, despite the foreign girl's retorts that she didn't even believe in violence or this sort of sport. Bigger mystery was why she even said yes to Yang at all back then. _Wasn't that lonely before, was it?_

     That was how Blake became a manager for a club she wasn't a part of, about a sport she didn't care about, and why at nights like these Blake watched it so tightly as Yang stepped onto the small gym stage. It wasn't a big affair outside of Vale itself, but one of the local stations covered it much to the dismay of both the transient customers and sometimes Blake herself. She never enjoyed watching the fight, but just had to. Winning didn't make her feel good and losing was like being stabbed, almost like she felt the punches and kicks Yang received found another victim in Blake's discomfort. Cliché as it was, not watching was worse, just not knowing was some sort of torture. Plus it was a little nice to see Yang so happy, so pleased with herself, so proud. Pride was such a nebulous and impossible to retain thing to Blake, so easy to slip between the cracks and drain into the sand. It was good to see her's so strong.

     "Ella esta la mejor boxeador local—" the announcer was cut short as was the feed when one of the patrons changed to the ever more popular futbol exhibition game between El Vale and the not distant Leon. Not much was riding on the game, both teams already qualified despite being matched again tonight. Some of the students booed, but a few of the English sailors cheered a good bit louder.

     Didn't take long for the information blackout to crawl something fierce under Blake's skin, eliciting a groan out of the impatient girl's lips when serving a pint to one of the same English jerks. That powder keg of a temper she always kept in check was needing some buffering, and it didn't take much time before the limit was reached and Blake needed to know.

     "Peter!" she called out, peeking her way into the restaurant's back half, its proprietor boiling away at chips and mixing potatoes for all the assorted appetizers the guests could order. There was no TV in the back of which to watch the game, but as Blake had learned from many a bar and restaurant kitchen, there was always a radio chiming away lightning fast with the news, always a step or two ahead of her comprehension of Spanish. "How's Yang doing?"

     "The young lass is doing fantastically, a merit to the city." Peter had this sort of bouncing way he spoke, a short, and as his last name suggested, portly Irish man with a wealth of fantastic stories to tell and an almost disturbing habit of telling them in the most horrible of manners. Still, all around he was a good man, despite the bushy mustache. Easy going employer, too.

     "Aye, Blake get back out there, we need you serving drinks now!" The real boss wasn't Port though, it was by a mile Coco, a young woman with a decisive personality gift for command, fabulous sense of fashion, and the cutest little black beret. She always kept her hair short, its brown bangs left long and to the side as not to obscure her vision, which she did anyways with black tinted sunglasses. She was skinny, but confident, someone Blake, and most of the pubs customers agreed, found drop dead gorgeous. The only thing that stood in the way of her being the most sought after woman in Vale was the simple fact that Coco, the queen of Port's Pub and master of booze, was by her own confident nature, terrifying.

     "I'm sorry Coco, just had to check how the fight's going," Blake tried to excuse as she stepped out into the front with her true boss. The woman was running trays all night and with masterful hands she managed to take alone what lessor workers would do in three trips. Chips, croquettes, small fish platters, and all sorts of food items brought out to those that eat at the bar,

     "They didn't go and change the damn thing, did they?" Coco muttered tone tinged with the taint of her Irish father. Blake thought it was rather suiting for her. "One moment."

     The mistress of Port's Pub poured pint after pint, ignoring patrons and protests by present company. Blake slid herself in to cover the load of orders, sending out a tall glass or a shot from person to person. It was rather busy now, and the establishment was criminally understaffed with only one other bar-back, a local kid that tried to go went by the name "Fox" even though everyone knew his very Spanish father Franco Menendez. There was a running poll to find out his full real name to which he was rather allusive. That tan-skinned boy and his bad red dye were strangely illusive.

     Loaded up with four drinks, Coco cut through the crowd, an adept of sliding past people without ever touching them or disturbing the booze, a talent Blake playfully envied. Without being asked, she set upon the Englishmen whom had changed boxing to futbol.

     "Here's some free pints of gat," Coco announced loudly, placing the thick Guinness branded glasses on the table before her guests. They seemed happy, though as she snatched the means of which to control the main TV the guests all flipped to a confused dismay, "now if you touch the god damn remote one more time I'm going to break your bloody fingers. Enjoy lads."

     Coco walked away an undefeated queen in victory, swaying as she stepped, hips popping in pride. A quick touch of a button and the screen switched back just in time to catch Yang wailing into her opponent, the other girl wedged into a corner as a torrent of strikes just hammered her. The Beacon kids all screamed in cheers that outweighed the middling moans of the few opposing party that weren't already sipping their free alcohol.

     "See, she's beating the hell out of her, now stop having a fret," the bartender mocked, tossing the remote to Blake as she stepped behind the bar.

     "You are an amazing woman, Coco." It was just sweet of her to always look out for people. The queen ruled with an iron fist, but justly for all the regulars and workers. Definitely the best unofficial manager Blake had ever had.

     "Aye lass, just takes confidence. Speaking of which, how you doing Bonnie-Bun?" Bonnie-Bun was the nickname given to Velvet after Blake had accidentally revealed her bunny cosplay to Coco. The young Aussie girl was mortified at first, vowing never to show her face in the establishment again. Off course she did eventually, and instead of finding herself picked on, the manger treated her well, even going as far as letting Velvet come in the mornings before opening when only Coco was in setting up. She would allow her to watch an episode or two of whatever anime on the bar flat screen, and during start up Coco would have some company. Velvet was convinced she was turning her new friend into a nerd one step at a time, and the nickname became an affectionate symbol of said friendship.

     "Hi! Both of you are working tonight so I thought I'd stop by. How are the two of you?" Velvet asked, her words tinted with the vocal flavor of her homeland.

     "Oh happy out. The usual?" Coco asked. The usual, despite the copious amount of time Velvet spent at the bar, was just a pint of the cheapest and lightest beer on tap. One she would nurse for a flat hour until it was so warm as to be undrinkable. No one minded though, she was a fantastic friend and a good tipper, so Blake readied a drink and sent it over.

     "I'm alright, just wish I didn't have to work tonight," Blake replied, cleaning off the bar from the thick stains of alcohol which would warp the wood if left alone, "And I wouldn't have to if you hired a bigger staff."

     "More hours, so shut your damn mouth," Coco countered with what she always did, disappearing into the crowd with another load of grease covered foodstuffs and a server's plate full of drinks.

     "Wish you could really watch the match?" Velvet asked, ignoring the other girl.

     "Wish I could go to it. None of the family does." They never approved of it. There was no real future in it for her, no one was scouting her out, instead they pushed her into a major about food. It was frustrating how much they were both right and wrong in one tasteless cocktail. As if in rebellion against that thought, the Yang that hopped and dived on the flat screen landed a heavy blow against her opponent, the girl dropping from the force of the strike. The match was over. She might stand back up, but Yang was fine. The opponent was lumbering up from the floor barely, the match was truly done, and so an easy breath could be had and all of Blake's muscles eased in a visible shut down.

     "Tickets are expensive, Yang doesn't want anyone going. You don't even like boxing, it's a waste," Velvet pushed, taking a sip of her beer nervously. She was always the first to push this sort of discussion, even if she always did so in a cool collected attitude.

     "I should be there for her, I'm her—"

     "Her what, really? Blake, are you two… ?" Velvet pushed a little too hard sometimes, too forcefully in the place she wasn't supposed to go. Blake shot her a look. No matter what the second year thought, this conversation wasn't happening not now, not at all.

     "No, we are not. Why does everyone ask that? You know better, Velvet," she clarified, sliding a drink to a German gentlemen to the right and cashing out an American to the left.

     "Jesus, you two should just should just kiss and makeup before the sexual tension kills us all," Coco jumped in, coming from the opposite side of the bar she left. How she even managed to get around Blake was just mind boggling.

     "Coco!" both girls called out in unison, neither of them content with that kind of solution.

     "'Cause clearly those were very platonic massages you give her all the time, eh?" Coco joked, leaving Blake a little flustered as she filled more drinks, took more orders, and tried to compete with the incoming swarm.

     "Drop it!" That was the end of this, even if Coco was her boss, Blake was not having this talk.

     "Oh, I will yea," which, as Blake had discovered, in Irish meant she absolutely wouldn't. Coco again took her leave at the request of the Beacon students. Yang had won the match, the girl stayed on the ground after another solid strike. She didn't want to get hit again, who would? Wiping the sweat away from her brow, Blake smiled while Velvet looked nervously confounded. She opened her mouth to speak, brushed some loose strands, started again, but stopped. Seemed almost like a cycle of failure until finally she just let it all out in a rush.

     "Blake, how about instead of getting so invested in this festival stuff for Yang, maybe we could go to the festival together while she's doing her finals matches? Actually enjoy it this year instead of what happened last time," Velvet knew already, knew all about that weekend. Blake thought about it a lot as a moment that tip toed on the thin line of nostalgia and regret.

     "I did enjoy last year," she finally settled on nodding to herself.

     "Blake you worked all day on getting Yang ready and all night here," Velvet commented, knowing full well the parts she missed, the fire show, the parades. She served the drinks, but did little drinking. That was until the bar closed some five AM, only Yang, her, and a rather sleepy Coco, then her time began.

     "I enjoyed afterwards, it was a good weekend," it was an amazing weekend, "but no, I will not be repeating everything. I will help Yang, but I won't be as involved this time. I promise Velvet. You should find some people to enjoy the show, I hear it's great." Blake felt her phone buzz in her jeans back pocket, but didn't move to check it, serving a pint.

     "I just don't want you hurt. You're just as important as her," Velvet mumbled, sweet thing that she was. Blake couldn't have wished for a better dorm mate.

     "I'm fine, Velvet. Now give me a moment," Blake asked, sliding out the phone. It was exactly the number she expected, a flash picture of the past, Yang and Blake a year ago from that festival night, both of them drunk, tired, and happy. She tormented herself keeping that picture up. Why, she didn't really know, but it never changed for Yang's number.

     Blake's first response to the call was to pick up, ask about the fight, if she was okay or sore or hurting. Second was to lie and tell her she was somewhere else and not working, someplace Yang wouldn't run off to find her. Third was to not answer at all. She never got to choose, the fourth option picked for her as again, out of the drunken commission, Coco appeared to snatch the phone.

     "Aye, Yang, bloody good match… happy out… yeah, she's working, I'll keep her late for you, swing on by." Coco hung up the phone with a smile, tossing it back to Blake as the young bartender in training cringed. "She's on her way love bird, oh, and no using phones at work. Now smile already!"

     Once again, smirking all the while, Coco vanished into the tangled and writhing mass of Monday night partiers. Blake was left alone to tend the bar, as was her job, with only a now upset Velvet to keep her company till the aforementioned champion came for her. She didn't mean to hide, just things were so complicated and Yang had a miasma of simplicity to her, breath enough in and Blake could almost believe the unbelievable, but it would never be that simple.

     Facts stood that their lives couldn't mix again, not safely and not so intimately. Still, Blake couldn't walk away complete, despite knowing full well it was how to undo the curse that was tugging at her chest. Instead of reviling it, between served drinks and animate conversation with Velvet she kept her eyes watching that wooden door, darting to it every time someone walked in. It wasn't Yang, not once yet, so much so she damned it. Blake couldn't stop loving the curse.

     Then she came, the warrior princess of everyone's dreams, Yang Xiao Long, the only Chinese natural blonde Blake would ever know in stunning glory. She had a bandage on her check, hiding a bruise from the match probably. Her hands were swollen red, clothes disheveled, hair wet and disorganized from the rain the woman had driven through to get here. She looked like such a victor, and damn did it earn appraise and a smile from Blake despite herself.

     "La chica colleja!" The girl champion. Someone shouted it in the bar and the chant exploded. Everyone was on her immediately. Congrats were offered, as were shots of tequila. Of course Yang didn't bother with it, though she loved the attention. She pushed her way to the bar, right to Blake. The miasma of simplicity was starting to thicken and Blake wanted to give her a hug right there.

     "Blake! Did you watch? It was awesome!" She leaned over the bar as close as she could, fire still burning in Yang. She didn't care a bit what the other might say about how she slotted her attention, how flirtishly she reached for Blake, breaking a lot of patron rules. The miasma was thick.

     "I see you hurt yourself again," Blake couldn't stop herself from saying, reaching out and brushing her finger on the bandage. Last year she did this, cleaned the champion up and dressed her wounds. Blake on the other hand hated blood, but the girl was notorious for injuring herself, making of show of taking blows and sending them right back. Unnerved people how much she could take never seeming to care. Blake cared. She didn't like it and always went to patch it up.

     But Yang always got hurt again. _Selfish._

     "It's alright, I feinted her is all."

     "You're supposed to fake feints, not actually let them hit you."

     "Works better if it's real!"

     "Alright!" Coco shouted, sending the patrons reeling, "How am I supposed to give the Colleja your free drinks if you don't give the lass some space. Back the bloody hell up." The bartender growled and they backed up right quick, many taking their seats not wanting to upset the queen. "Good work Yang, on the house," she added, sliding Yang a pint of her own.

     "Thanks Coco! You're looking fab tonight by the way!" Yang answered, taking a sip and knowing how to just make everyone smile.

     "Don't go thinking I'm a girl you can pick up of the curb, Yang," Coco answered with a bit of a red tint. She was a tough one, but no one dresses that well and doesn't want someone to appreciate it just as much as they do.

     "I would never risk breaking the heart of the girl that serves my drinks, Coco, you're safe," _that was impressively stupid,_ "so did you watch Blake!?"

     "Yeah, someone put it on. Congrats on winning, you did wonderfully," Blake answered getting another patron a drink. She meant it too, the girl felt some pride in her still best friend. "I'm happy for you."

     "If you are happy for me, let's celebrate!" Yang called out before chugging down her beer. Winners seemed to like to drink for some reason.

     "I'm working, Yang. I can't," Blake replied, a little sad herself. There was something lost in their old party nights, even if she wasn't much of a drinker personally.

     "That's why we're going to party right here until you get off for the night!" _Stop being so god damn charming,_ Blake thought with a smile.

     "Oh no you're not!" Coco shouted at her, though no one was going to stop Yang tonight."

     "Ruby's got morning class, so I would have to duck out early in the morning, but we can party all night and maybe we can crash in town." Blake went in her shell when Yang suggested it and could see it from how she looked unnerved for a second. "Of course I mean like at the dorm, not at a hotel. Like the couches are comfy there!" She laughed to try and ease the discomfort, but it was already awkward dancing on that memory now, no fixing it.

     Blake needed to pull away now. Needed to badly.

     "So is Pyrrha coming?" Blake admired Pyrrha, she was a tough, tall beautiful girl, more a match for Yang than anyone else. She wanted to push that forward, bring it up whenever she could. Though it felt like barbed wire. She used Pyrrha as tangled wire between them, and it worked.

    "She, uh, she wanted to stay at home," Yang mumbled angry for a moment, "but hey bud, we haven't celebrated together like this in a while. You're still my best friend Blake and I wanna party with you!"

     "I suppose." The wall was working, but it was a painful sort of poison to take bite by bite.

     "Have a drink?" Yang pushed the pint toward her apologetically, the brown liquid inside at half, "You look like you need it. Sorry for being weird." That wasn't why she apologized.

     "I can't, on the clock," Blake replied, I can't becoming a sort of mantra lately, "but thank you Yang. It's been a stressful semester." Blake tried throwing a bone. She didn't want to hurt Yang after all, just wanted to keep distant. Safe for both of them.

     "Coco's Irish, I doubt she cares," Yang answered, pushing it more.

     "That's racist, and no, I'm French!" Coco shouted from across the room, always so quick to clarify.

     "Your dad is Irish," Blake couldn't stop herself from adding to her boss's dismay.

     "And my mum is French!" It was a feeble defense, but Coco stuck to it fierce to the end. Most people dropped it at that level of stubborn, but Yang, no never Yang. She winked at Blake before setting her violet eyes on Coco again.

     "Is your _mum_ nice? How could I've never met your _mum?_ Is this your _mum's_ bar? _!_ " Yang said with a laugh, putting an emphasis on mum just to highlight Coco's bull. Blake chuckled too, though only lightly.

     "It's called a pup!" Coco retorted, angrily retreating to the kitchen and leaving to the sound of laughter. Fox moved into the other side of the bar to ease some of the pressure, which Blake appreciated yet didn't. For such a crowded room it felt like there were only two people in it.

     "She will hurt you Yang," Blake chastised her lightly, filling another pint to follow the one she was finishing up now. It was clear the bartender was staying sober for tonight what she tried.

     "I can take her," Yang replied doing exactly as Blake predicted, downing her drink.

     "I didn't mean like—" Yang didn't let her finish, hand reaching out past the bar to grab Blake's. The blonde's were much more callous and rough, their red knuckles must have stung with how swollen the fingers were. She didn't wince despite it when Blake felt around their bruised form.

     "Thanks for worrying about me," Yang mentioned with a smile, a sort of charming one that gave one the deepest impression that she would always be on your side. Such was the effect of her miasma.

     "Someone has to, you don't do it to yourself," Blake remarked, thinking about the myriad of injuries the blonde vagabond put herself through. It was such an unfortunate reality, so heavy a burden to so deeply be entrapped by that sort of recklessness she was. For as much as Yang could not deny her thrill seeking, Blake could not deny her desire to heal her, despite attempting to escape it.

     Knowing this, Velvet tried her best though.

     "Yang? Hi, I wanted to say good job on the match. I'm not a fan of boxing, but you did well," her words mingled with an Australian accent, the brunette cut in, tapping Yang on the shoulder and handing her a congratulatory shot Fox had gotten her.

     "Thanks buddy!" Yang announced, downing the shot quick. Her face turned a sickly sour ending in an aspirated yelp. To her credit, Yang drank very little except when at the bar. She lived a dry life outside of friends so Blake never worried. "Also, like tomorrow after I get over my hangover can we go over some math? I was not focused in the slightest today."

     "Yang, study more, this is why I have to warn Blake about you!" Yang laughed at that, never taking Velvet's open criticism of her too poorly. She tossed one arm over the girl, pulling the short physicist into a tight, if unwanted, hug.

    "How do you deal with this cutie for a roommate?!" Yang was not letting go.

     "Stop! I'm older than you!" Velvet groaned, trying to squirm her way out of the bigger girl's affections. There was no escape.

     "Yang, be good," Blake demanded with a smile.

     "I wanna keep her like a pet bunny!" Yang argued, further giving the best puppy dog look she could muster. Blake was unaffected and so Velvet was freed.

     "Stop with the bunny jokes! It was just one cosplay!"

     "Sorry Velvet, you know I adore ya!"

     "A little too much."

     A buzzing noise broke up the laughter and reminded Blake she was on the clock. "One moment," Yang requested, taking out her phone. Blake nodded yes, returning to work and sending drinks Fox's way, though curiosity made her take short glances at the blonde. "Hola... Padre?... No." There was a shrill pause where for the first time in memory Yang turned white and her eyes widened in the fear. Blake was shaken to see this, Yang Xiao Long doesn't take anything seriously. More than that, she is never supposed to be afraid. "Aye dios mija, Me voy a casa!" Yang shouted back, putting away her phone in a real life panic. Whatever happened she was going home, now.

     "Yang, are you okay?"

     "Ruby ran away, I need to leave right now. Put it all on the tab," Yang shouted, spinning right around. She was never scared for herself, but others, but her little sister. Blake knew perfectly well how much that little American girl meant to her. All the stories she used to tell, almost made Blake a little jealous. In the end Ruby turned out to be not what she expected, but a really sweet girl. What would motivate this had to be bad.

    "Wait, you can't drive Yang!" Velvet called out, honest girl she was, but Yang was already at the door.

     "Shit! Well I'm going to have fun breaking the law! Later!"

     "Wait," Blake couldn't believe she was about to do this. Stupid, senseless, there was nothing Yang could do that the police couldn't, or Blake for that matter. There was no reason to risk her job, piss everyone off, put the pub's already understaffed crew in even more trouble. Still, she would and did. The miasma was thick. "I'll drive, I'm completely sober. Coco, I'm sorry, but I have to go. Clock me out, I'm sorry!"

     "Oh for fuck's sake," Coco shouted, stepping out of the back and into the front, "Bonnie-Bun, interested in a night's work?"

     "Blake, you don't have to—" Yang pleaded, but it was already too late. The young, perhaps soon to be unemployed, woman stepped out into the moonlight, a good sign that at least the rain had stopped.

     "Yang, don't even start with me," Blake argued, walking right out into the street, the slick roadway empty and few people out, only the occasional bar hopper. "So, where did you park?"

* * *

     Blake never liked motorcycles. During the day they were the American made deadly version of the much slower and quieter scooter. It felt too quick, too out of control, too wild. At night though she understood the appeal. The wind still rushed by like a brutal beating and the motor was still way too loud echoing down the road, but now the streets were empty. What little nightlife around stayed in the city alleyways between the illuminated strips of light. No one was on the road into the mountains, maybe a small Volkswagen with its brights on, but empty was the world.

    Alone it wasn't so dangerous, what wildness to it could be gentle. Fast or slow didn't matter when the only things around to hit were the bright moon glowing silver in the sky, its massive reflection in the distant Atlantic waters, and a woman gripping arms around Blake. It felt nice, the noise seemed distant then, the wind not so bad. Here she was, glad Yang had bought her that second helmet with its white lotus design, happy she had pushed her into learning how to ride this monster.

    This was nice.

    "You remember where I live?" Yang didn't have to shout loudly, a normal voice, though reduced to a whisper by the engine, could reach Blake now that she was so close. Her warmth made the cold air refreshing instead of bitter. The rain had stopped some time ago thank the lord, so while the roads were slick, their clothes were warm.

    "I remember." Blake thought she always would.

     A turn off the main road and that subtle stone bumpy feeling told the Italian to slow her pace. A village had fused with suburbs here. New houses had sprung up and the plazas that used to be dead found a second life. Still the old found its history implanted. A beautiful church on the left that remained burned out and warped by the Spanish civil war a distant memory ago. That was a personal favorite spot for her. The two of them hung out there whenever Yang got tired of her parents following her. It was open, but no one came by and had such beautiful flowers.

     The village became thinner as they entered the last street of mismatched stone fencing and moss. Everything was damp now and the moon reflected it. The house was up ahead, tallest building this far out. Not surprising to see standing out front, body draped over the stone fencing, Mr. Long. He was looking out for a daughter to come home. Yang wasn't the right one, but perhaps seeing the brights of the bike might lift his spirits.

     Seemed to, until Blake too off her helmet.

     "Blake? Sorry, I thought you were Ruby. It's, uhh, it's good to see you." The family that had been like long lost relatives had become distant very quick, but that part was Blake's fault. She never seemed to come by anymore, there was always an excuse.

     "Dad, what happened!?" Yang asked in English, they got into the habit for when Blake was still struggling with Spanish. Wasn't needed anymore, but it was nice to see they cared about being considerate still.

     "Ruby came home today and there was a fight with your mother, and that's all I know. I came home and no one was here. She didn't even bring it up until I asked," Mr. Long answered, not turning away from the street. At first Blake wondered where Mrs. Long was, the car was missing. Hopefully out looking, Mr. Long wanted to wait for Ruby. Blake could only hope she didn't just leave him here to have a leisurely drive, though who could blame Mrs. Long if she didn't want to do anything at all about a child that wasn't her's. _She was always so nice through, she wouldn't..._

     "Madre!" Yang shouted for her mother so loud dogs from the distant neighbors could be heard barking. The house did not stir.

     "Please Yang, not tonight. She went out for a bit. We need to find Ruby. Do any of you know where she might have gone? Her phone is dead. Please?"

     "She doesn't know a lot of people, but maybe Penny?" Blake suggested, prompting Yang to take out her phone for the umpteenth time. The entire ride she was texting everyone that Ruby knew, unfortunately that made a list of two right now, Penny who wasn't responding and Nora who said she was out on the town with Ren, which of course ousted that possibility, too.

     "I texted her, but she didn't reply," Yang clarified for her father.

     "Anyone else?" Mr. Long begged, seeming weary and defeated. He had that look of someone who feared the inevitable defeat and finally experienced it. That unsurprised terror was unpleasant to look at.

_Speaking of unpleasant._

     "Weiss!" both of the girls shouted at once. It was perfect. They were constantly linked despite all sanity. So much so Yang was convinced they were, or soon would be, an item. Who else would one go to if they ran away from home? To the love of your fairytale of course. Predictable.

     "Shit, I don't have her number!" the blonde announced, looking through her phone. Blake checked anyway, but she knew it wasn't on her's either. No one had Weiss' number, no one but Ruby of course. The Schnee girl never tried to make friends, keeping distant, only ever really chatting with Ruby and perhaps on occasion with Penny in a pair, or even rarer Pyrrha on her own. Blake couldn't tolerate her attitude and as such most people she knew were content to stay away. Seniority beat wealth, not that Blake intended to bully her, she could be friends with whoever, but the lines just sort of fell that way.

     "I suggest we split up. I'll look in town, Yang you search the village. Bring a flashlight, it's sort of dark," Blake ordered, the most sensible of the three.

     "Alright, dad you call the university. I doubt she could get there herself, but maybe she hitch hiked?" Yang suggested, smart but disconcerting.

     "I really hope she did—"

     The buzz struck again, silencing everything but the dogs and bugs. Yang looked at the number confused, but didn't hesitate to pick up.

     "Hola. Yang Xiao Lon—" Yang stopped, the tense look in her shoulders relaxing once and for all, "Thanks Weiss, I'll be right—" then it came again, fire burst from her eyes, at least it felt that way. Yang was very mad. "What do you mean it's not fucking necessary!? ...She's my fucking sister, bitch! ...I can call you whatever I damn well want, I am coming over and pic—" she stopped suddenly, and damn, if she wasn't vibrating with anger, "You did not just fucking hang up on me!" Blake thought her screaming madre was loud. This was impressive.

     "Yang?" Blake asked with a raised brow.

     "You need to watch your language, that's not really ladylike," Mr. Long started, regretting it from the look on his face even before he said it. Poor guy couldn't catch a break.

     "Dad, I get punched for a living. I am _not_ lady-like. Blake, she's with Weiss-bitch Queen-of-the-Sea-nee. We're going to pick her up at the dorms." Yang's intensity might have been at an all-time high, but for everyone else, this was a relief.

     "Oh thank goodness," Mr. Long let out into a smile. The easing in his expression was immediate and immense, Blake was happy to see it.

     "How the hell did she even," she puzzled, her head hurt, she was tired and things weren't even finished yet. Another ugly problem came to mind. "Yang I can't drive you both back on one bike."

     "Could I crash at the dorms…I'll use the—"

     "Yeah, it's okay. It's not perfect, but we've had you sleep over before…you don't have to use the couch. Friends can share a bed just fine." Despite her resistance, they were back to how it was, back but with coupled apprehension. This incident closed much of the rift. It was nice, but problematic. The rift kept them both safe from each other, whatever could have possessed Blake to do all this. The miasma was thick.

     "Yeah...friends can," both of them breathed out at that, Yang taking the lead, "Let's go save my sister."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***(old notes)Hi all! Happy to have Choice out again, this time with another look into the Bumblebee vs Greekfire section of the story which deals with old choices (which is why it's internally named it the chosen story arch), where the main story is about new choices in life and is the choice story arch and will be like every 3rd or 4th chapter. I hope you guys like this and keep reading 'cause next chapter will be one I've been looking forward to writing and for the white rose lovers I promise it'll be about them! :D
> 
> I want to say thanks to LazyKatze for editing, congrats to her for the new Layers of Ice chapter (which if you haven't read go read it!) and announce that we now have a collab available which is on my profile here, check it out! She is the best! :D
> 
> Later everyone!


	9. Only Moving Forward

**Ruby Rose**

     Cold, despite the fact that it was still just early autumn. Chilled, even though Ruby wore a pretty thick white hoodie with red accents above the chest, however her stupid ripped tight jeans made it worse. Crisp, despite the cover, a massive wooden church that had been long since burnt, left side a crumbling facade of wood and rot, beautiful flowers growing where pews once were. Collapsed roofing on one section made a pile into a wall, enough to block the cold air. Only the rightmost corner had roofing left, windows shattered, crucifix pushed back up right by some good citizen despite everything else, the stands, pews, tables, all knocked over, burnt or rotten.

     It wasn't cutting though, for of all the things Ruby had ran out of the house with, she took something she hadn't touched in a while: a thick wool hood, bright red, almost like a blanket. Her mother's. When she wrapped it around her shoulders the wind deviated around her. Now it just felt simply like her mother's breath, frosty from a ghost, as she held her. _No, now I'm crying again,_ Ruby thought to herself, knowing her mom wasn't here. She was in the American soil, for whatever reason people did that. What was here instead, just a girl in red, a backpack from school, a desolate burned out church to hide in, roofing providing cover from the rain as it dumped down onto the village, and a little bit of cool blue light that emanated from her smartphone screen. It displayed at the top the marker for about twenty texts, fifteen phone calls, and ten messages. A healthy majority from her dad, a few from Penny, none she could bare to look at besides maybe the York girl, but the only one Ruby was really focused on was Weiss' that replied shortly with just:

     "I'm coming."

     The white little message blip was still potent to look at, how quick she replied. The string was short, an admission that Ruby had run away from home and a response for where she was, not even asking what happened and suddenly, despite the rain, the dark night, the biting air, Weiss was coming to pick her up. She didn't know where to, but it was better than being here, alone, crying, watching the little power bar shift as Ruby quickly realized her dirty church corner was about to be a pitch black, dirty church corner. She just wanted it to last till another message popped on the screen, tiny picture of Weiss giving some comfort, some reassurance, something, anything.

     No message, just the slow whine of tires as a car slowed along the wet pavement that connected the church to the two lane road that acted as their home village mainstreet. Though dark inside, and difficult to look in on, the bright headlights of oncoming cars were blue clouds of illumination that could be seen through the busted walls and front door that hung open oh-so-slightly. This taxi did not leave like the rest, its vibrant light continued to slither through the cracks, the silence interrupted by a shadow and slam of a door.

     Ruby was gripped in a bit of girlish fear, scared maybe of whatever crack addicts lived here, if that was like a thing in Spanish villages, but the silhouetted figure that stood in the doorway, cast in blue, was not big or scary, but short and feminine.

     "Who's there?!" Ruby shouted back from her distant corner, flipping her brave dying phone around, her own azure light fighting the car's. The shadow was revealed. Weiss. Wearing a one piece, short, dark gray dress with little white patterns across the right shoulder, her hair was tied back into a long offsided ponytail with a red bow. Smarter than Ruby, she brought an umbrella, blue and red, keeping her dry as she moved forward, a crunch from the shattered wood with each step. The wind seemed to dance around her, fluttering the end of the dress but not pushing the rain into her.

     "Ruby?" she asked, expression blank, the blue in her eyes looking into the dark. The redhead became instantly self aware, putting her phone back and wiping the tears, snot, and other horrible messes from her face. Joke was on her though, she was still crying and the flow ruined her looks almost immediately.

     "Hi Weiss-s, I didn't know... you were re-really coming... It's kind of a mess…" Ruby trailed off, not able to find her words as she hiccuped on every fourth syllable, sobs interrupting her. Now she didn't just act stupid in front of her crush, she looked and sounded it too.

     Weiss didn't seem... moved, she just kept walking forward, hard blue eyes looking into her, too deep. Only when they were close, arms reach, Ruby on the floor and Weiss standing above her, did she make another sound. A click of the tongue, so light with her perfect white teeth clenched tight and lips just barely open.

     "Look at you," the German girl finally said, getting on a knee despite the dress, "You are a complete mess." She pulled out of her sleeves a proper handkerchief, white with an embroidered W.S. in the corner. Putting the umbrella down, she grasped Ruby's chin with one hand and the other so gently cleaned the weeping girl off.

     Her touch cured the tears, or maybe just shocked Ruby's system out of it. Weiss had never touched her face before, barely touched her at all, but with a soft cloth she brushed against every spot that had been graced by tears or her leaky nose, something that almost completely ruined the romantic air to the situation.

     She moved so swiftly, gently, hands that had taken the pound of makeup off her own face in under half a minute. Ruby had none, whatever she had had was taken by the beach earlier in the day, but if even a hint of it remained, it was gone now. Weiss' touch purified her.

     "Come on," the pale girl started again, slipping her handkerchief into Ruby's jean pocket, "I have a feeling this isn't the end of you crying all over yourself. Wash it and return it when this is over." That made Ruby smile, just a bit, as both of them stood.

     "What now?" Ruby asked, knowing not what saving her from the church entailed. The whole running away from home, while childish and probably temporary, did leave her down a domicile. This was probably the end of her hiding and diversion, the moment Ruby would have to go home, or back to America.

     "You're coming back to the dorms. You can stay in my room tonight." Ruby's eyes went wide, earning a suspicious glare from Weiss. "What?" she both asked and demanded, picking up her umbrella, holding it between them.

     "Thanks Weiss," Ruby mumbled, unable to look at her, grey eyes darting away from those pretty blues, whom rolled at that.

     "Come on dolt, holding taxis cost money," Weiss declared, pulling the red girl forward. Into the rain but safely, no more dampness on her mom's hood, she put it away. No more cold, even as they stepped into the wind, out onto the street where it showered against the pavement, and into the back of a yellow taxi where they both sat together in the back, It felt so weird and warm.

     "Universidad vámonos," Weiss called out as they shut the door. Heavy downpour turning into distant bumps from outside the car. The driver nodded and his taxi jerked forward without a word more, turning out into the street, distant La Vale over the hills and by the sea. A costly trip, Ruby owed her again.

     "So Weiss, I just—"

     Ruby was interrupted by the sound of Weiss slapping her own lap twice. A motion that confused her the first time, before the silver girl repeated it again, but this time glaring at her with vengeance on the brain. Suddenly it occurred to her, and Ruby blushed.

     "Umm."

     "This is the one and only time I will treat you like a child, I suggest you use it." Weiss' voice made it clear this was not option, though Ruby doubted she really understood why her hair was matching her cheeks. Still, with a sigh, she obeyed, laying down in the back of the car, pulling herself into the fetal position, head resting softly on Weiss' lap, which the depression pretty much was the only thing that kept her mind out of the sexy stuff, but soon enough it was clear why Weiss thought this would help. One hand gently rubbed Ruby's arm, the other brushed its thin fingers through Ruby's short, straight hair, so relaxing, so safe, a child like state. That broke the walls. She was crying again.

     "It's okay, breath, talk if that helps, or not. Whatever suits you," Weiss whispered, voice detached, but not really. She had an authoritative tone, but it almost made Ruby feel more sure, more safe. Knowing she didn't have to say anything made her have to, opened her up like a rose blooming.

     "I shouldn't have skipped, I-I-I thought Yang's mom wouldn't mind, my mom never minded," Ruby was struggling with the words, sobbing harder as she tried to tell the story straight, "but she's not my mom, my mom's dead, I don't have a mom!" Ruby was bawling now, reduced to the same level of thought as a child. The driver looked back to check on what the crying was about, but Weiss glared him right the heck back to the road. Hands gently combed through her hair and despite everything Ruby knew about her, Weiss didn't shout anything back. Of course she was thinking how dumb it was of Ruby to skip courses someone else's mother was paying for, of course it was rude just to expect the same treatment, but it didn't need to be said, so it wasn't. Weiss just watched, her expression still cold, but her actions weren't. They were gentle.

     Then the memory of the morning popped into Ruby's mind.

     "Weiss... what happened to you last night?" she mumbled into her dress, still audible, literally feeling the German girl groan against her.

     "I don't think that exactly fixes this situation, Ruby!" she sounded angry as usual, but this was not going to be let go.

     "It does, I wanna know," Ruby couldn't help but sound spoiled, but it was truly the opposite. She wasn't the only one hurting today. She wasn't going to be selfish anymore.

     "Ruby…"

     "It does! ...just please?" Turning over, Ruby could look up at her, silver eyes damp and red again, but fixed, even childlike, searching Weiss over for the answer. What had really happened? What was happening? Most importantly, could Ruby reach through the walls of ice and stone the girl surrounded her soul with.

     "I so hate you," Ruby smiled despite Weiss' aggravated head shake, "My first school I went to was in Austria, a University with a famed music and business department. I was a dual major. I had lots of friends, and a girlfriend," Weiss didn't look at Ruby when she spoke, eyes burning into the back of the empty passenger seat, focused on the picture in her mind, hands still gently combing Ruby's hair. "Her name was Emerald, she had beautiful dark brown skin, grandfather was an American soldier, hair was always colored something stupid, usually green like her name. I loved her, and she loved my money," her hands stopped, "Everyone warned me that she was straight as an arrow, and I kind of knew. She only ever agreed to go out if I took her somewhere extravagant, we only had sex if I bought her some jewelry or nice clothes. I nearly bankrupted myself trying to pay for her love. Eventually I dropped out of my business major without telling my father, using the money he gave me to pay tuition for our lifestyle. I was so stupid," red ringed her eyes, tears that would not come out, the heiress would not cry. This upset Ruby, everyone deserved to cry, and the thought of this was so painful the red girl wrapped around Weiss tight, arms clutching her midsection. She was so skinny, so thin, though there was a faint hint of muscle Ruby could feel putting her face against the warmth of her abs.

     "I'm sorry," _I would have loved you poor,_ Ruby kept herself from saying, knowing sadness and jealousy stirred in her. Someone touched, had, kept, all of Weiss, and didn't even care. It was so unfair, this Emerald girl didn't deserve any of it, any of Weiss. Ruby just wished she did.

     "It was such an idiotic move, imbecilic even. But I did it. Only took two semesters before my dad could tell I was lying about something. Soon enough he confronted me with proof, he bribed someone and they stole the transcripts from my personal records. Now I'm here, moved to a school with a shitty music department. Emerald broke up with me the day she found out I was leaving." There was more to the story, but Weiss struggled with it, her hands shook with pain, eyes latched out into the rain that blurred the encroaching city scape.

     "It's okay, you can tell me... I'm right here." Ruby didn't know what she was saying, she just knew it had to be something, even just a mumble against the soft silk like feel of her dress, still just a baby in a lap, holding her comforter for mutual support.

     "She texted me today," Weiss continued to keep herself steady, not crying, but her lip quivered, "she has a boyfriend now, some stupid dance dj named Mercury, said she was sorry. I asked why. She was the one. She took my dad's money, she was the one who sold me away. Worse… she said if I was ever in Vienna... if I had more money then… that Mercury would understand... I would just have to pay her for…" Weiss shook, teeth clenched so hard it was difficult to hear her. Ruby understood regardless. "I have a song. I made it today. I don't know if you can use it, but listen."

     Ruby couldn't respond before one ear had a bud forced in it from a pair of headphones. Wasn't long until smooth sounds of a piano poured out from the bud that Weiss tapped her finger to the beat of. It played gentle pattern of tones that quietly built up to a voice, Weiss' voice, but not her's. A singing voice that sounded unique from her's, something that belonged to sound not language.

_Mirror, tell me something, tell me who's the loneliest of all,_ the voice begged a loaded question, before the voice called other instruments, drums, orchestration, a faster beat that played along the lines of the words until... until the soft operatic break that reached places Ruby had never thought Weiss' anger enriched voice could. Once over the music came back again, as well as the singing, the most intense and painful, sharp and barbed as it pushed forward. A taste of musical fury and a healthy dose of lyrical depression, all ending on a profound and deep admission, one Weiss would never make in language, but did in song. _I am the loneliest of all._ Every instrument had abandoned the words aside from the piano that first brought them, and even that drifted into absence. Leaving only an angry silence.

     "I hate her," they both said in unison, though one was muffled the other shouted. The solidarity was nice though, and Weiss' small body stopped shaking, breath turned steady, the pop of her stomach becoming easier. Emerald wasn't here, it was just them, and neither felt like talking. They just remained fixed, Weiss petting and combing Ruby's hair and the red girl holding on, making sure the moment didn't drift away. Despite the heartbreak, the scene, at least to her, seemed nice.

     There was no more talking, taxi slowing up as they approached Beacon, a castle like institution melded into the walls that curved though the mountains. This was their immediate home. For both of them painful reasons brought them here, but it wasn't so bad. Weiss slipped the driver fifty euros, something Ruby would remember to pay off no matter what. She was not going to be Emerald part two.

     Protected by a umbrella, the two kept a comfortable silence as they drifted through the courtyard together, Ruby's backpack in one hand and an umbrella and Weiss' left hand in the other. Inside the rain became muted, their steps the louder sound. It was so dead as they approached the dorms, nothing stirred in the low light. Not till the foreign students dorm opened and a Yorkish bullet rang out.

     "Ruby!" Penny cried, tackling the girl near to the floor, her orange hair fluttering back and forth as she rocked the pair in a bear hug. "I was so worried! I would have picked you up, but my piggy bank didn't have enough for a taxi. Oh my goodness, thank you so much, Weiss!" Penny wore her feelings on her sleeve, an earnest and sweet girl. Ruby liked her affectionate friend, and the unadulterated love in her hugs. It was always so easy to return them and smile around her.

     "I had the money. It only made sense for me to do it, Penny," Weiss offered in her usual clinical attitude, but the Yorkish girl didn't seem any less enthused. She pulled away with a skip, hopping back in her green, dress overalls and clapping her hands together to call attention.

     "Alright, we are having a slumber party, friend. We're going to put you in our dorm room, you can borrow one of my nighties, and tell me all about what in bloody hell happened to you tonight!" Weiss rolled her eyes hands pressed on her hips.

     "She can stay in my room, there's enough people with Nora in yours already. Ruby isn't a sardine." Now Penny furrowed her brow for a moment, keeping up her smile, though it hid a deceptive aggravation.

     "She's also not your pet," Weiss' eyes went wide as Penny said it with a smile that really pissed her off. "Friend, you can decide. Don't let anyone pick for you!" It was about to go into a full smackdown, the German girl already had her finger out to to wage with her lecture on manners, standing on her tippy toes to look down on Penny.

     "No fighting!" Ruby near shouted, cutting off the whole confrontation before it even began, "Look, I don't wanna think about what happened, or what I'm feeling. I wanna kind of be in the present. I also don't really wanna just go to bed," both girls stopped for a moment, turning to listen, Penny with some excitement, Weiss with less. "I say we go on an adventure!"

     "Oh no," Weiss mumbled back.

     "Shush, it'll be fun!" Most importantly it would be something new, something alive, something not painful. A much needed innocent distraction.

     "Alright friend," Penny answered, ready and willing.

     "First thing I thought about doing since I've been here that I've yet to do," Ruby turned herself toward the hall, knowing right where to go for her little plot, "It's time to conquer the castle!"

* * *

     Castles are always so dark and dreary, carpeted in fine furs with armored suits at every turn. They were mazes of loot and monsters one fights, tricks, sneaks, and defeats. Least that's as far as any American had any proof of, Ruby's sole experience with these great European wonders of stone and plaster being from vibrant video games that painted a rather specific and fantastical style to these delightful places. This reality, however, was a little less lively. La Vale's was not that caricature.

     "Did you bring a torch?" Penny asked in a hushed whisper as they, the three quickly becoming a single unit, scuttled about with only their phone dash screens for light. Not a bit adequate, there was nothing but dim, yellow dotted floor lights in the narrow hall that illuminated only the narrow walkways.

     "This isn't Skyrim. No, I didn't bring a torch," Ruby replied between a laugh and a whisper. Despite the cramped space, the icy cold touch of the tan stone walls, the dripping sound coming from just everywhere, and the eerie way sound whistled around the edges of each tunnel, like a moan escaping the towers themselves, there was still adventure. The castle more a series of walls and short keeps than any glamorous mansion, but Ruby was not, in the least, disappointed.

     "She means a flashlight, dunce," Weiss counted directly into Ruby's neck. The frosty air, or creepy atmosphere glued them together. Each clutching onto the other for direction, warmth, and comfort, the redhead's stomach contorted and twisted into shapes that would leave a clown gasping every time she noticed how close the German girl was pressed against her back, even if that was Penny sandwiching them together. Turns out, the York girl was terrified of dark, cramped places, bad move for Ruby on her new be the best bestfriend goal chart.

     "Flashlights aren't powered by fire, Weiss. Duh." There were rare few moments where Ruby could show her knowledgeable chops were of equal measure to Weiss, and she was not some useless bimbo. Groan as she might, it was all to earn a better opinion. Plus what kind of best friend slash maybe-sort-of-please-girlfriend would let her equivalent run around saying torches like an idiot.

     "It's what we call them, friend." Now Ruby just felt stupid, that was hardly fair. Least laughing at her brought the two bickering friends of her's together. _All for the greater good, Rubes,_ she could almost hear her sister saying. Actually, thinking about it, Ruby noted something that did suspiciously sound like a voice. Penny, a perfect little ginger infused warning beacon jumped at it, alerting all to the danger.

     "Someone's here! We have to go!" she shouted, a echo reverberating along the walls and down the stone pathways. No way whatever was making the human sounding speech, an out of tune song and distant steps, did not hear them.

     "Stop being a baby! It's just a janitor or something!" Weiss shot back with too much gusto for a sneaking mission where no one was supposed to be. Ruby might have called torches flashlights, _which they were,_ but at least she wasn't this stupid.

     "If I'm a baby why did you bring a sword!?" Penny raised her soft voice again in complaint, pointing a somewhat well deserved figner. The German girl had brought her prized rapier and clung to it like life itself. Both of them were so silly.

     "It's for our protection!" Weiss was beat red of embarrassment, the cellphone light bright enough to show her shame. _Cute._

_  
_"Our protection? How are you going to beat castle ghosts with a sword! Might as well stab it with a dinner f—"

     "Guys, you are way too loud!" Light beamed down the wall fort passage, the flashlight they so needed now was aimed at the three of them, petrified souls awaiting immediate expulsion. This was such a terrible idea. How the hell had Weiss not talked her out of this? "Guys?"

     That voice! It was familiar.

     "Jaune?" Penny landed it, and as Ruby's eyes adjusted to the harshness of the blaring beam, she could see his perpetually awkward form come into view. A sort of handsome boy, though the redhead was a poor judge of that, with messy blonde hair and a personality whose primary virtue was earnestness, something that was meant in the best and worst ways equally. Plus word had it he was a king at dancing, but that was just a rumor.

     "Hey, so what are you doing, you know, screaming in a castle?" Jaune asked, filling the silence with his thin french accent and chilled demeanor.

     "Uh, what are _you_ doing here?!" Ruby replied, pointing a finger at their captor, no one was innocent, she would take him down with her if need be, but no way was she going down without a fight. Weiss was depending on her! And Penny! And herself!

     "I'm an intern here." _Shit._

     "We are doing, stuff," Ruby stuttered trying to strike a comeback, but there was nothing. Doom was barreling towards her, again, this was a terrible idea. Jaune was unmoved and after a eye rolled Weiss, the prince charming of Ruby's dreams was here to save them all, taking a step forward, into the somber light.

     "Ruby had a bad day. We wanted to go exploring to cheer her up. It's completely her fault," _traitor,_ "Mr. Arc, what does a hundred euros say about us being here?"

     "Are you trying to bribe me?"

     "Admitting that would be a crime." Ruby was consistently impressed by Weiss' ability to say the craziest things stone faced serious. She was born to be a dangerous woman and it made Ruby's heart tumble all over itself like a penguin down stairs.

     "How about for a date?" Jaune asked with a childish gusto, proving his famed earnestness. Ruby might have been jealous if Weiss had not confided to her that she was gayer than Ellen wrapped in rainbows. Fact was, the German girl would face prison time before Saturday dinner with him.

     "No, ask again and I'll sue you," Weiss replied, arms crossed with indignation.

     "Worth a try," Jaune muttered with a sigh, but quickly snapped back to a boyish smile, "I wasn't even going to get you in trouble, but if you wanted to look around we have guided tours during, you know, the day."

     "I'm kind of low on cash, and this was a big spur of the moment deal. Sorry Jaune," Ruby admitted, feeling bad now. She had really risked getting the whole gang of them in trouble, only saved by the good graces of a French boy in ripped jeans.

     "Well, I was going to head to the dorms, but Pyrrha is out so I don't have much to do… I could show you around now? It's just really not safe without a torch," Jaune offered with a kind word. She just wished he could have avoided mentioning torches, a simple request.

     "Told you," Weiss butt in. This was just going to be another thing that noone would ever let the stupid American kid just escape.

     "Really? Thanks Jaune, that's actually super nice of you," Ruby answered, ignoring Weiss completely. Optimism and forward thinking, that's all she needed to defeat her own embarrassment.

     "What can I say, you remind me of one of my sisters," Jaune was alright in the end, a sweet person underneath his over eagerness, maybe something the two of them had in common. Another friend gained, Ruby was convinced, a strong start to their late night adventure. "This way to the haunted prison!"

     "Can we please, please not," Penny squeaked. It was too late, no turning back. Only moving forward, never backwards.

* * *

     Under Jaune's guidance and Weiss' zealous protection, the great mystery of La Vale Castle was surrendered onto Ruby. She got to consume every facility, faculty, and facite of the connected structures, whether through the tan stone tunnels inside, the sopping wet wall-walk with dents and divides where puddles formed that she couldn't keep from kicking into whomever was closest, musty dungeons and rusted gatehouses, storage rooms to barracks halls. She got it all, and with the same whimsy and wonder the redhead experienced reading fantasy novels she felt sliding between the worn barrel towers that popped up wherever the city wall could be found.

     The smell of the rain and dust, the feel of beaten rock against her fingertips, none of it disenchanted this place to Ruby, despite perhaps its attempts to seem like nothing more than a tourist trap with its gaudy plaques and little exhibits. The knowledge that this was real made the fantastical more vivid, and their own twisted adventures. The moment Jaune swung around back to sneak up and scare Ruby, how Weiss struck down a ghost that attacked Penny made no less valiant when it turned out to be an old potato sack she had squared. That, she did pay Jaune a few euros for.

     What was really a short little break from reality felt like an hours long journey together that for once brought the pair together. Penny and Weiss stopped fighting and started joking, Jaune and Ruby exchanged numbers and stories, both had turned out to share a mixed interest in fantasy games. He had even gone to the same PAX as her. Perhaps they had met even. It was a great night, the cold rain dried out and everything felt fresh again.

     "Why would old stuff scare you? Old stuff is harmless...it's, you know, old," Jaune asked Penny about her fears. The Yorkish girl just shrugged.

     "I don't know, too bloody old," the young ginger answered, earning a sigh from from their history student.

     "So guys, no more sneaking around here. You're lucky I was the one on flag duty," Jaune lectured light heartedly as they all nodded in agreement. Weiss even seemed to take part in his chastising of their group, like she had tried to stop them.

     "Yes, I promise, no sneaking." Their little night time excursion was over, cut short by Weiss receiving a nasty call. Yang, least it sounded like it. Ruby's fault she knew, her phone died sometime between the ride from the village and Beacon. Yang was rightfully livid.

     As they walked the halls, Penny chatted Ruby up a bit more, Jaune said aloud his mental internship checklist as he locked the Castle doors behind him, Weiss seemed however a little lost, like something was on her mind, but not quite. Ruby drifted from her friend's conversation to the blue eyes that seemed to scan her own thoughts, not really aware of the room around them. Neither of them snapped too till the final bit of Penny's ramblings hit the Vytal festival.

     "The what? Isn't that Yang's tournament?" Ruby asked, admitting in slight to her day dreaming. This event had come up once or twice by Yang though she put a lot of distance between her kick boxing hobby and her family, no one was suppose to see her fight. She said it made her soft.

     "Not just that, it's the biggest local celebration, sports all day and night, until around eight, then these giant paper mache statues get burned all over the city, big parties happen, everyone celebrates," Weiss explained with an oddly nervous cool, "I heard it's lovely," she was putting a lot of distance between her and her voice, and for as cool as she was, no one could say Weiss spoke dispassionately as judgemental as she was, "I was wondering if we could go together? Seems odd to check it out alone." _No way._

     "I—"

     "Sounds like a great idea! A good night out, then pub afterwards! We should hangout together more often!" Penny cut them off, wrapping both of them in a tight hug. Though irritated by the embrace, Weiss didn't correct her and Ruby's tumbling heart returned to a steady rhythm though disappointed.

     "Yeah, I'd love that." Not so dissapointed as to refuse.

     "Well good then," Weiss mumbled, stepping out of the group hug and out in front, right into a very wet, very angry looking, and it seemed partially intoxicated, Yang guarding the dorm door.

     "You!" she shouted, violet eyes boiling with rage, anger that honestly was wrongly pointed.

     "My name is Weiss Schnee, thank you!"

     "Yeah, we all know your name princess." Blake was flanking Yang, arms crossed, not so soaked but just as annoyed.

     "Where is Ruby!? What have you done with her?" Yang stood a head taller than Weiss, but the German girl did not flinch, even as the much bigger and stronger woman got within a fingers distance from her.

     "Nothing, I'm right here! Please, no fighting!" The anger drained from Yang's face and she sobered enough to forget all about her grudge and tackle the redhead hard enough it felt like a rib check was in order.

     "Rubes, what the hell! We were so worried!" Yang was not letting go, not for a million dollars, and struggling against her mass Ruby did her best to breath. She loved Yang for this, despite how much it kind of physically hurt, the emotional love was there, even if her spine wasn't going to be in a minute.

     "Sorry, my phone died, Weiss picked me up at the church," Ruby whispered between gasps.

     "We've been chasing you all around the city. Look I don't know what happened between you and Miss Long, but just apologize to her so you can go home, you don't want to be a run away over something that can be solved so quickly," Blake cut in, trying both to get to the heart of this and save Ruby from being crushed. She seemed tired, exhaustion palpable in her expression. This stupid stunt wasn't meant to affect anyone else, but her. This was all a mistake.

     "Ruby doesn't _have_ to apologize if she didn't do anything wrong. I have plenty of room for a time, till your mother gets sense enough to drop this," Weiss interjected, disrupting the peace. If Weiss said one thing, Blake said the other, but the inversed was also true, something that made peace between them so annoying.

     "That's stupid, Ruby you're coming home, now!" Yang let go, but with the same angry look a mom gives a child they love, but will not tolerate the insolence of. With a sigh Ruby shook her head, knowing this was not going away, she could not let others decide for her, she had to accept the leadership position in her life.

     "No Yang, not tonight, and not because I don't wanna apologize. I do, I messed up. Miss Long isn't mom, she's not... she shouldn't have to pay my way through college for me to do it at my pace. She shouldn't have to take me fighting back and," the thing that truly created the divide, what made Ruby leave wasn't miss Long, but herself, knowing how foolish her words had been, "Shouldn't have me telling her that my mom treated you better than she does me... it's not true. I mean it's not the same, but they aren't supposed to be, and she doesn't owe me that. I want to write a real apology, hand deliver it and even wait as she reads it, but I want a day to figure out the words. Please call dad, and tell him I'm sorry and I will be back tomorrow and I'll fix everything. I'm going to stay here with Weiss, if that's okay?"

     "Of course, I won't go back on my word," Weiss replied with a slight smile. Being half right was good enough for her.

     "Rubes, please just never do that again. I'm going to stay in the dorms, too. Blake's room. Just knock, I don't care what, I'll help!" Yang looked at a loss, but also earnestly wanting to do something of use. There was nothing to do, big sister couldn't save Ruby from facing her own music, so instead of giving her orders, the redhead gave her sibling a hug.

     "It's okay. Good night, you are my favorite person and I am so sorry."

     "Night Rubes."

* * *

     "You sure this is okay?" Ruby asked a little awkward in her own corner of Weiss' bed. The whole thing was too much, the covers smelled like her, the pillows had that winter flower scent too, even the PJs Ruby was dressed  in, a borrowed pair that fit a little too tightly around the chest for night wear, all blue, were drowning her in Weissness. This was too much for her soul.

     "I'll be busy," the songwriter declared like it was an answer, "I want to remix that sound, make it cleaner, I don't know if you'll use it. It's a stupid song anyway." Weiss dressed in similar lose dress like nighties and sat at her computer desk, headphones on, one cup off, the other blaring her music at her for her to carve apart like a butcher.

     "It's beautiful," Ruby mumbled, speaking her mind.

     "It's weak," Weiss answered, ignoring her compliment.

     "I think that's why it's beautiful, it sounds...full features, weak, but strong. That sounds dumb I'm sorry," Ruby laughed nervously, clutching the sheets for all its wonderful scent.

     "Thanks. I am glad you like it," Weiss answered, hands paused on her mixer, perhaps thinking on what to do, or on what Ruby had said, "If you need anything ask." Right back to work she went, the silver strains of her hair turned blue from the light of her dual LEDs.

     Ruby couldn't have thought of why she did it, perhaps the memory of how mother cared more about others than the self, maybe wanting just to do something sweet back, or maybe connect them, she took out the hood of Summer Rose, a item that comforted her for so long, a representation of her mother's love, and, without a word, draped it over Weiss' shoulders.

     "Ruby, what the hell is—"

     "It's my mom's, it's warm and soft, so you can feel comfy while you work. If you, uh, need anything too, I'm right here I promise. No matter what. 'Kay partner?" Ruby had the dumbest smile that made her stupid remark seem even more silly, after all who calls the girl they like partner? She was not frigging John Wayne. Yet, Ruby could almost see a smile on her lips. Perhaps the feelings could be felt through a blanket.

     "You are so dumb, Ruby. Go to sleep alright? We have a physics quiz tomorrow," there was a touch of giddiness in Weiss' voice, perhaps holding in a happy laugh, or maybe Ruby was imagining it, but either way she just nodded and agreed. Sliding into the far side of Weiss' bed, closing her eyes. The girl felt comfort in the warmth of Weissness around her, the clacking of her fingers against keys and the clicking of her mouse as she incessantly adjusted mixers. The young redhead never got to sleep though, simply a constant state of joy and relaxation, until the the sounds stopped, a flick of the bathroom light, and shifting of sheets as the silver woman crawled right into the bed, body brushing against Ruby's false sleeping one. That did it. Despite the pounding in her chest, she could sleep.

_Night, lonely girl._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***(old notes) Hi everyone! Sorry I haven't posted in forever, been busy with my birthday, personal drama, nanowrimo which I will talk more about in a minute and then finals. But! all that is over and I'm happy to get to the cute warm and fuzzy White Rose stuff! We are going back to the monthly release schedule for my fics, though I'm doubling down this winter break like I finished this same week as MV! (Then stuff happened ;~;) Thank you to everyone still reading and I hope to see you soon again and thank you to Lazykatze for her endless time and help, she is amazing guys check out her story Layers of Ice and our Collab The Snow White Knight. Two last things though, one about two guest reviews the other about nanowrimo.
> 
> About nanowrimo, it's a competition to write a novel in a month, I uhh got about 2/7 the way through my novel at 35k cause I need an editor armed with a god damn bush knife, anyways I've gone in between releasing chapter by chapter on fictionpress or as a free ebook when it's finished and edited. A, do any of you care and B if you do what would you prefer?
> 
> RANT ALERT: To the Guest reviewer who wrote not one, but two reviews about the number of non-heterosexual characters in Choice, I have a lot of responses, but to be pragmatic I thought I would clear a few things up, namely certain character's sexualies.
> 
> Ruby is a lesbian, but inexperienced.
> 
> Weiss is also a lesbian and very experienced.
> 
> Yang is pan and Blake is bi. Both have had more sexual experiences with men than women, in Yang's case a decent chunk of both.
> 
> Both Ren and Nora are straight. Just cause you kiss the same gender as you and don't throw up doesn't make you gay. Clearly guest reviewer you never went to the kind of slumber parties I did as a kid. She simply is comfortable enough and wanted to check Ruby's reaction for Penny, her friend, and noted that it wasn't that bad.
> 
> Both Penny and Velvet don't really fully know where they are, Penny doesn't like to define herself so mechanically and Velvet's world is constantly rocking between what she is and isn't, just like a lot of kids are and it's confusing.
> 
> Jaune is straight and Pyrrha, yeah you notice how no one's asked her? And Yang just assumes it will work out in her favor, like you know a rash person who doesn't think of the consequence of assumptions? It's like I'm showing personality and not just saying it, huh? No, this does not make Pyrrha anything, thats one of the unknowns of Choice.
> 
> This sexually varied a cast is not a common thing in our world, neither is having a Chinese dad who lives in Spain and a dead American mom who was a security contractor for shady groups. Just you going about your day exactly as you did is mathematically more uncertain than a lot of gay kids in one group yet you're fixated on this one thing, not the others. Fiction is a game of the improbable, sometimes impossible. If this is too much don't read my story, it's not for you, I'm sorry.


	10. Everything

**Ruby Rose**

     "You think she's mad?"

     "Who mom? Nah," Yang replied paused at the doorstep, the wooden entrance unpainted with a little looking glass piece that stared at them coldly and hatefully on this surprisingly bright late afternoon, "Yeah, probably."

     "Should we knock?" Ruby asked, her home's big yard behind her a pleasant field that reached the gravel street and the shed that hid Yang's bike from the rain. It wasn't that considerable a walk back to their mini motor vehicle. Just a drive to Beacon really, where she could hide under Weiss' bed forever.

     "I mean, I have the key. It's my house." Yang running away with her was out. This was it. No escape.

     "'Abandon all hope ye who enter here'," Ruby quoted, nodding to herself, "Do it."

     "Grim much, Rubes, geez. It's not like she can eat you, goths are not exactly a Spanish delicacy." She turned the key, lock snapping back into place and hinges squeaking in much need of some grease. Ruby noted how, without question, doors were always louder when she did something wrong.

     "Namá? Papá? ¿Estáis aqui?" Yang called into the lightly lit foyer.

     "Sí, aquí." It was Miss Long, Ruby knew the voice. It put an iron ball in her belly, but she knew she could do this. _Breath,_ she whispered to herself, _breath._

     "I'm home!" Ruby shouted, not like normal announcing, she let out a panicked and falsely enthusiastic bellow, diving right into this. She had just the tiny bit of her courage so now was the time to face her executioner.

     "Welcome home. How was school?" Miss Long replied, and that was it. Just pleasantries. It was so weird even Yang made a face. It was a trap, Ruby was sure of it, her liver was going to be floating down the Río del Valla.

     "It was, uhh, good." Ruby's voice cracked on the good. Courage was gone, she was just a lonesome gringo, ready to be shanked by her in effect stepmother. Still she had to. There was a note in her hand that needed getting to this terrifying pseudo-parental authority.

     "Ruby! Come on in, I'm making early dinner!" The angels cried out in a chorus through the heavens as her father announced from the kitchen. No stabbing around dad. She could survive the night.

     The kitchen was unchanged over the day's departure from home. Still smelled like any variable Spanish cookhouse with plenty of fresh spices hanging everywhere, added boxes of imported Chinese condiments their dad bought in bulk, and an almost constantly in use rice cooker, a staple in both cultural diets.

     Father was in the kitchen with his chief's smock on, splattered with stains and bad permanent art drawings Yang made as child. He shared in the cooking responsibilities, making some tortillas, the Spanish variant a combination of egg and potato, not the cornflower base Ruby was more familiar with in America. They were tasty though, often filled with pork or some assorted meats with, at least for Ruby, copious cheeses.

     "Welcome back, Rubes. Yang said you were coming. Café con leche?" He asked, handing her plate of the folded yellow mini-meal. The drink in mention was a little coffee thing that was loaded with so much milk and sugar it would kill someone with diabetes just by the smell of it, least the ones Ruby drank from her dad, else it was always too bitter.

     "Yeah, thanks dad. Sorry," Ruby mumbled the end while taking her plate. Her father smiled, his dark black hair getting in his eyes and thin lines of facial hair, he looked a lot younger than he was, she noticed.

     "Don't worry, Rubes, you eat," her father, Taiyang, replied with a gentle voice, hand reaching out to squeeze Ruby's shoulders. One of the saddest things about her dumb running away idiocy to her was that she hurt him, made him worry. Still, it was so nice to have him just be sweet. "You want anything, Yang?" was added when her sister stepped into the kitchen, tossing her bag at the door and combing through her massive golden locks as she did whenever she was home.

     "Nah, I'm making a steak later. Got to gain that muscle for the tourney!" The drama averted, Yang was back to thinking about the upcoming set of matches, the fire in her eyes lately was a sign of her dedication to the Vytal Festival. She was champion in women's kickboxing last year, she had to be again, everything seemed a little superfluous to her.

     "Sure you don't want me to go?" Ruby asked, knowing the answer. It was always something not for the family to get involved with, but still, she wanted to at least be clear in her desire to support her sister. There was also the matter of avoiding sitting down. Furnished with only one table, and the most dangerous person was sitting at it right now.

     "Shush, I don't want anyone in the stand blubbering when I make a mistake," Yang repeated her usual mantra, sneaking back into the kitchen for an apple to munch on as she cooked, the process of steak making for her was something of a long and interesting one, coated in brown sugar and soaked in oddly enough several Spanish sodas. Combined they would make a delicious fusion of energy and protein she needed to work out at her near constant rate.

     "But you never make a mistake," Ruby argued to no real avail as she watched Yang pull the meat out of the fridge in a stained plastic bag. It would be delicious, but uncooked it looked rather nasty.

     "She's very, what's the word ey, obstinate, about it. Don't bother, Ruby. I can't get her to invite me to go," Envida, Miss Long, cut in, not looking at either of them, her eyes locked comfortably on her laptop screen, working likely from home on some of her unknown projects. Ruby had no idea what her job was, but dad had suggested it was something that paid well and had a free schedule. Perhaps another time she should ask. "You can't eat and stand Ruby?"

     "Oh yeah." Miss Long's words snapped Ruby to attention and she sat herself right down on the opposing side of the table, a few feet between them, Ruby with her dinner and Envida with her work, typing with one hand and brushing her only lightly faded hair with another, something Ruby associated as a mark of focus.

     "Umm, Miss Long, I uhhh," Ruby was choking on her words, but it needed to be done. She still had the envelope in a clutches with a much more pointed apology for her, as well as a few promises and assorted ramblings. Weiss thought it was a stupid idea, Yang a bit much, but if Ruby was going to pursue a future of rainbows and happiness, this was a big step. "I'm sorry and I wrote this for you and I hope it's okay so please read it when you can, thank you!" The redhead shoved the envelope forward and at first there was nothing but silence, nervousness, and motionless confusion on Envida's end.

     "Okay," it took a second, but Miss long breathed and started, ripping open the envelope and reading it silently. To Ruby's pleasure she never said a word out loud, the personal writing was more meant for her to quickly read to herself. Now though, Ruby was at least happy for the matter to be settled. "Aye, Dios mija, Ruby this is no good," she was still reading, eyes dancing across the paper with intense fervor, but she seemed more sad than angry, "No no no, mija this is too much. It's okay. You don't, ey, skip school anymore and we'll do just fine. This, this is too much." She slid the paper down and seemed exhausted, doing Ruby the favor of looking at her, not on the bright LED screen that was probably way more important right now.

     "You're not mad?" Ruby asked and Envida sighed.

     "I don't like everything you say, but I'm not so old I forget what it was like to be you. I disappeared for two years in universidad. Sometimes, you need to escape. I am glad it was one day and not two years, eh?" Punctuating with a sigh she went back to typing, setting the note down on the wooden table, she seemed to think it was a much more shut case than Ruby did.

     "Here you go, Rubes," Taiyang whispered to his daughter, patting her on the back and sliding over a false porcelain cup of brown steaming liquid that reminded her of chocolate milk. Taking the drink from him, the thin man slid a much more reserved and darker cup to his wife, hugging her sweetly as she worked. "It was actually in those traveling days I met her. She was dying her hair black and calling herself Raven Branwen, something from Walish myth. She even had these red conta—"

     "Por favor cállate, you don't need to mention this no?" Envida cut him off, gently swatting his face, a hint of embarrassed red creeping on her cheeks. Maybe the shiny goth look wasn't actually something that would upset her, after in all the trippy fashions Ruby had run through, colored contacts were a step farther in the high school rebel direction than she ever dared dreed. "Sometimes you just need to breath. It's over now."

     "Mama was a dangerous vagabond when she was younger," Yang announced from the kitchen, the loud bang of a baking sheet and poor cooking practice ringing throughout the house. Ruby couldn't tell if it was the embarrassment or Yang's butter fingers that made Miss Long look more exasperated. "She's still got all this biker gear and this wicked white and red helmet. I'll show you after I put the steak in!"

     "Please don't," Envida mumbled in defeat, head resting in her hands.

     "I never knew you were so cool, Miss Long!" Ruby remarked with a laugh, taking a sweet sip of her drink, the milk heavy coffee.

     "Not cool, it's silly," she was laughing at least, "I'm a grown woman now."

     "Never too grown up for adventure, mama!" Yang shouted, slamming the oven closed as hard as she could and causing every single person in the room to seize up. How had she not broken everything in the house?

     "Yang's right, you look great in it still," Taiyang half joked it seemed, picking up his own food for the night, before taking his seat at the dinner table. A plate of tortilla and a mound of white rice with some dumplings, a cultural taste extravaganza just for him.

     "Shush, you love dangerous women too much," she countered, poking the slightly smaller elephant in the room, but she seemed not to mind it, not to mind Ruby, just a fact of condition. "I just have to be the most dangerous. I'd turn you into my next coat if not, eh?" She smiled when she looked at her husband despite the death threats, and Ruby was convinced that the two of them were in love. The redheaded child was the result of the exception, not the rule, she was sure of it.

     "Not too bad though Mama. I got a free sister out of the deal!" Yang called out, always pushing the edge so frighteningly close to over. Envida smiled through, her envy of a dead woman at an all time low. Yang sat with them. Though her meal was still cooking, she had her apple that she ate happily, taking only a moment to slip off her vest revealing the low cut yellow tank underneath. Somehow this inevitable fight ended in family dinner.

     "True, but we don't want several thank you, Yang, Ruby will be all we need, no more," she looked at Ruby with lilac eyes, so much like Yang's, so unlike her own gray disks, "No less."

* * *

     'We're meeting at the docks no later than 18:00, understood? I'm leaving if you're late.' It was Weiss, her text having come in during Ruby's quick shower, instructions for the festival outing they had been planning all day.

     'of course! I wouldnt be late for the world! :D' Ruby replied as she sat naked on the bathroom toilet, still sopping wet from the shower, her thick black and red hair mix sticking to her face in an all around messy, yet clean, dishevelment. It was more important to respond than it was to make sure the tan tiled floor of her bathroom wasn't completely soaked.

     'I've heard that before,' Weiss replied quickly, the phone buzzing and coming to life before Ruby could even put the it down. The sputtering of the android was turning into one of the most stupidly heart stopping experiences the petite girl had in her life, which was odd considering how absolutely clinical Weiss' texts were, and a little sad, but the communication was enough.

     'as ya should! ;P' Ruby hit sent before she could stop herself, the line between flirting and friendship growing needle thin in their texts lately. It was so hard to take it seriously that she felt a little protected when it wasn't in person, though it did leave her chronically giddy.

     The response was taking a while, Ruby found the time to dry herself up, brushing down her body with green towels that featured prominently in the mostly tan home, Spanish homes tended to have warmer color palettes than their American equivalents. It was dusk now, but Ruby wasn't going anywhere. She wrapped her hair in a towel, slapped on a pad to deal with monthly business, and slid into some PJs, the polka dot pants and usual loose tank with no bra. She had no company to impress and it wasn't like the older teen was packing too much heat from the get go.

     Just when Ruby was starting to get nervous, brushing her teeth with wild gusto, eyes glancing between the relax wear girl in the window, and the black screen resting on the false marble sink. The light went off and a buzz sounded as it vibrated gently.

     'I suppose you aren't horrible either, one could do a lot worse.' Weiss took her time with that one. Their flirting resulted in nothing but laughs, but the pauses between the German girl's responses always puzzled Ruby. Either signs of irritation or nervous consideration.

     'your a charmer.' Ruby had no pause, she snapped out her response with a happy grin. The bathroom exited right into her private little basement apartment, a home onto itself, one she was not afraid to strut around in PJs with her towel bun and a stupid smile. The only one there to judge her was Yang, and she was currently burning off her steak in the form of grueling one-handed push ups, small droplets of sweat sliding off her sun infused skin.

     "Heya, sis!" Ruby took the short trek from the tan tiles over to the comfy couch they had so lovingly acquired for her. Landing on those cushions was all she needed after being so stressed. It was pretty, everything was aglow, as the red dusk sun reflected off the ocean and into the room through the basement windows. This near apartment wasn't a terrible place, Ruby was grateful for it.

     And again the phone buzzed. 'Only to people unimportant to me.' _That_ was a flirt. Ruby blushed a vivid red and just couldn't stop smiling. Immediately she knew she was over reacting as a giggle escaped her lips and another message came in. 'Also it's you're Ruby, we've been through this!.' _Breath,_ she reminded herself, _don't make mountains out of hills._

     'so I'm important? :'D' Was Ruby's joking response, laced with a serious question. Yang must have noticed the girl's giddy gushings granted the grunts of her workout came to a close, lilac eyes looking at the gray ones illuminated by a bright phone main screen.

     "So, you got a girlfriend, Rubes?" Yang asked with her prying eyes that could see through all secrets. There was only one way to hide now. Playstation on, MK in, and console ready, hide in a match, focus on face punching, and not on the red that could never hide away in her pale face.

     "No," it wasn't particularly a strong defense, but it wasn't a lie either. Wasn't long before matchmaking started and another buzz sounded from her phone and Ruby dove for it. It would only take a few seconds to read it and respond.

     'Yes.' Ruby burned all the way to her ears and couldn't help it for even a moment.

     'how am I important?' was the response, no hiding behind anything this time. Finished and sent right in time to pick random on the character select screen, the perfect response to the jerks online that just waited to pick whatever character was better against her's. The match started with a flurry of kicks and projectiles. Ruby was winning, but barely. And of course the buzz, the evil buzz. The decision was now, throw the match and find out immediately, or wait. There was no choice.

     "Wow, stopping in the middle of an online match, this is love," Yang joked, laughing to herself, but this was no joke.

     'Why should I tell you?' Ruby read that along the background sounds of a round one loss. Total and complete disappointment.

     'that's cheating!" The reply sent, the redhead tossed her smartphone into the farthest corner with a groan. It was in time out now. No way around it. The second round was still salvageable, and with minor face obliteration, Ruby was already starting to feel better.

     "Oh my, what'd she say to make you so mad?" Yang asked, staring up at the screen while continuing her push up set. She was using two arms now, must have been getting tired or found Ruby too interesting to ignore. Maybe she just hungered to play, the siren call of combat.

     "Nothing," Ruby replied, blowing a loose soaked strand of hair that rested uncomfortably on her eyelash, the red bouncing right back into her face. Evil. "Just stuff. I don't know, Yang. Weiss is, I just can't tell if she's into me or just like friends. She still seems a little hung up on her ex." Round three started and the phone buzzed. She wanted to check it, but disappointment still stinging, Ruby waited for the turnaround victory, catching a narrow tie breaker win with the infamous teleport punch.

     "Make her forget, Rubes, whoever was her boo ain't got shit on you! See what I did there? It rhymed!" Yang giggled self-satisfied while her sister checked the text.

     'We are playing games now? What are the rules?' Weiss had a quizzical response, perhaps an invitation. Question game, question game. Such a risky little move. _Screw it_ , Ruby thought, _mom always said fortunate favored the bold_.

     'alright weiss I ask a question you answer a question my question is whats your favorite food?' _Start safe_ , Ruby thought, feeling a bit clever and confident. Yang was right. If Ruby wanted Weiss to forget about that Emerald girl she needed to give her a reason to. "Thanks Yang, you're the best sister. How are you feeling about the tournament, about you know, stuff? Any boys or girls or whatever you wanna gush about, I can't be the only one looking dumb here!" Ruby tried to laugh off her own embarrassment, but her concern was real enough. Yang had a nasty habit of hiding stuff, some people required a shovel.

     "The tourney will be easy, I'm a beast," Yang responded with a smile as she switched to crunch position, the smile faded. "I haven't been seeing anyone, even casually like I use to. Hasn't felt right since last year." The golden girl's short pause was over and the crunches started, the quick repetition of a natural.

     'My favorite food? Probably Lobster. I know, obvious rich girl answer. That or fine sushi. My question: Ruby, who was your ex? You mentioned you had one. I feel at a disadvantage not knowing.' Weiss asked the hard question off the bat, a reminder of exactly the kind of dangerous girl Ruby was playing with. This was a deadly game of texting chess, one where the winner or loser was defined by the depths of their embarrassment and deadened cheeks. Ruby could not falter.

     'a girl named Cinder in my highschool. we had a "adopt a freshmen program" and she was the senior assigned to me we dated for a year broke up got back together broke up again later she was always pressuring me to do bad stuff I didnt like the person she wanted me to be so I broke up with her. not as interesting I know sorry XD' It was a lot more heart wrenching then, though thoughts of those golden eyes did nothing for her anymore. She was over it, ended before she did anything totally stupid. 'Oh and weiss what got you into music?' She added in a second message forgetting her turn. Then there was the Yang.

     "Maybe you need to meet new people? No one doing it for you? Wanna talk about it?" Yang was always the liberated woman, though Ruby always wanted to be more conservative with her own body, that was her business, there was something truly respectable to the golden girl's way of life. She never lied, she never toyed with people, she fooled around but with the body never the heart. She crushed hard and was a fast living girl. Yang told Ruby more than once about the guys or girls she's been with, but kept romance special for the few. It was rare for her to live detatched from touch for a year, unheard of really.

     "I found people, I just... Oh Rubes, I don't know. Yang got herself rejected, little sis." The unbeatable heartbreaker collapsed herself on the floor, dotted with sweat and blessed with a smile that wedged its way into everyone's mind.

     "Someone for real?" Ruby asked, not needing to.

     "Yep."

     "Blake?"

     "She is cheeky," Yang looked up at Ruby with that grin of a child, caught with a face full of desert. It was adorable, but sad. Blake obviously meant a lot. Though if anyone had asked Ruby the two of them already seemed a couple. The few people who had rejected Yang had never beaten her down. The Italian was something unique.

     "Wanna hug?" Ruby offered, seeing the light on her phone shine, but her sister was of slight greater importance. They kept eye contact, a moment passed by and Yang shook her head.

     "I smell gross, dude, you're going to want me to shower first."

     "I don't mind," Ruby replied.

     "Trust me, you will or we need a hygiene talk." Both of them laughed, "Imma run up stairs, get fresh, then we can talk about hugs." Yang winked those lilac irises at Ruby to show everything was stable-ish. With a quick kick, the golden girl flipped herself onto her feet in one fluid motion that would make an Olympic gymnast turn. Her sister clapped and whistled, and in a tank top, soaked through gym shorts, and a mess of oily hair, Yang took her bow, disappearing upstairs.

     She was going to be okay.

     Now for the text.

     'It was never a moment, as a child I loved it, I always asked my father to play Ludwig or Mozart for me, some Chopin. Then American blues. World music from African tribal dances to Irish folk songs. Canadian maritime shanties to British Punk Rock. Everything fascinated me, it would be like asking, Ruby when did you realize you needed to eat? Or as a writer, when did you realize a story had value?' which was quickly followed by, 'Sorry, that was a little, intense. Who's your favorite of the dorms?'

     'you easy' _Sorry Penny!_ 'And yours?' Cheap response, but totally valid. Soaking in the last light of the sun, texting Weiss, being devoured by her couch, awaiting her boisterous sister, ignoring the lit paper that was due in less than twenty-four hours. This was the life she was content with, at peace. Mom was missed, deeply so, the ache would never really leave, but right now, it was alright. She could shut the game off, let the sounds of the air blowing past the window reverberate in her.

     'Ruby, I don't have any other friends, idiot.'

     'penny's your bud now! It'll grow after we all hang out together during the festival :D tho I'm like the best' there was a pause here, Ruby searched for the word, right one to represent something and nothing, 'partner you'll ever know.' Ruby hit send before considering the very specific meaning that had within the homosexual community. Panic time. 'I mean like who else would be your science partner!' _Smooth._

     'Well Penny is in the class,' _don't you dare,_ 'but I think I'll keep my answer. I don't know about befriending the others. Blake still has a hit on me.' Ruby had found herself overturned on the couch, the green towel left to languish and her loose hair wild and wet still, the autumn chill giving a cool feeling to her scalp. This was a sad topic, but Ruby was hopeful.

     'blake doesn't know you it'll be fine.'

     'How are you going to fix everything, magical Ruby? Shake your wand and make everything okay?'

     'Yes! and for added bonus, just let you meet. No one couldn't love you,' love was converted quickly to like, though Ruby didn't even know if she could say that her feelings were so intense, the impression was too much even for her and their flirty texts. 'also I suppose that makes it my question? ;P' Ruby added, knowing there was one thing left she wanted to ask.

     'Alright, and?' Weiss replied just as Ruby expected. Standard cool tone that matched her icon on Ruby's phone, a forced selfie together with the German's eyes rolling in disinterest, the background packed with instruments that represented her musical soul and what Ruby pretended was just the mildest hint of a smile. The real Weiss poking her head out behind the layers of ice.

     'Alright I want to know what makes me special to you ;P' Too much, Ruby deleted it and started again, fingers oddly nervous, 'why do you spend time with me?' Again it was off, too desperate, too lonely, too sad. 'the first question ;P why am I important?' Ruby felt like her hands were going to smash the phone she clenched it so hard after the little delivered marker showed up. It was gone, soon there would be an answer, paid for, no escape. Maybe, just maybe, it might give her some courage.

     "Rubes! I'm coming down!" Yang was back, her steps down the stairs carried a heavy weight, her jacked body not light by any standards, especially by the uniquely silly measurements. She dressed in the usual evening wear, pj bottoms and a lone sports bra for support. While they weren't close enough to just chill around naked together, neither of them found anything special nor interesting about one another in just undies. The sweat pants were more cause of the cold air, but after that workout Ruby couldn't blame her for wanting a cool down.

     "Hi sis, feeling any better?" Ruby asked, watching her descend, hair blow dried yet still a little wet. That had to be the most unending pain, still she kept it clean and free, wild too, still beautiful.

     "Yeah, I'm fine!" Yang strutted over, lifting Ruby's legs from the couch and dropping them to make room. "I'm actually thinking of asking out this Pyrrha chick. I mean like it's not like Blake, but maybe it's a step, so root for me! I'm going to do it after I win the tourney! Better root for me." Yang snapped herself back faster than anyone could ever dream. She would have handled losing Envida better than Ruby did Summer, but the sister would never wish that on her. Ever.

     "Want me to go?" Ruby asked in vain, she wasn't thrilled about the idea of canceling plans with Weiss, but A, that wasn't going to happen anyways, and B, Yang was her sister. She always came first.

     "Nah, I don't like family being around for my bad habits," Yang said with a wink, hiding perhaps something else. Maybe scared to lose in front of family? Didn't matter, Yang always wins. "You could give me that hug you promised?"

     With a laugh, Ruby put her arms around her big sister, much more muscular arms encased her and she felt safe like only her mother ever made her feel. Yang was an amazing sister, an amazing person. If Pyrrha could like any girl, it should be Yang, and if Blake couldn't see that, no matter how cool she was, Ruby preferred someone else for her champion.

     "You're the best sister," Yang mumbled as a buzz went off behind her. The cell was there, shining with Weiss's name. Ruby tried reaching for it, but her hand was a touch short in the embrace. She let go, but Yang didn't, arms tightly clutching her.

     "Yang, can you let go?" the redhead asked with a raised eye. Yang just smiled.

     "No."

     "Why?!"

     "It's really cold. I should have kept the tank."

     "Yang!" Ruby struggled, but there was no escape. Yang was stronger, a girl made of near nothing but muscle and hair. She was a demon, a demon in search of a human blankey

     "No! I need your body heat, Ruby you little teenaged sweater!" Ruby deployed her only known advantage, a tickle spot located between the abs on Yang. It would not free her, no, but buy her time, much needed time to grab her phone. Secrets had to be revealed.

     "Ruby, no! Please! Don't deny my sisterly love!" Yang's gripped weakened in a fit of giggles, there was a chance, the chance for freedom. Ruby went for it. Hand diving out, fingers laced around the plastic casing of her andriod. The boxer pulled her right back into the hug, but it was too late. It was over. She had the phone now. Sliding the lock screen out, staring out from over Yang's shoulder, the message poped up and Ruby knew what it was like to die happy.

     'Everything.' The first message said. Everything. 'Or nothing, I don't really know.' The follow up didn't diminishes the meaning or the burning sensation that danced aflame on her cheeks, visibly melting into the couch. _Stupid Weiss, making it unclear,_ she thought silently, finding no other complaints worth muttering.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***(old notes)Hello! Hope you enjoyed this shorter chapter in today's release of Choice. Things are a little on the slower side, but next chapter will be big, I promise! On a writing note, creating the dialogue for Envida Long (retrofitted to be Raven cleverly I might add ;P) is kind of like writing my mother. Sorry for the bad Spanish, it's just what I remember from my childhood! :D My Spanish is from what I remember as a kid so if I make any big mistakes just tell me!
> 
> Thanks so much to LazyKatze for editing Choice, her work is amazing and I did a wonderful name of layers of ice in here but also check out her story Fighting a Beautiful Death, which is hosted by A-rav, so check it out. I promise she is amazing! Thanks also for all the reviews, the support was super uplifting last time and I'm so happy to get it! See you all next month! or Next week if you're an AV fan!


	11. Childlike Wonder

**Ruby Rose**

     "Come now! Vámonos!"

     Ruby could hear Ms. Long shouting from the stairway, her ride into town growing mildly impatient, which she could totally understand. The redhead would too, waiting this long on someone just trying to string together an outfit.

     It wasn't a date, but it felt like one, so everything was meticulously planned before being almost completely abandoned for something else. After perhaps three different less functional combos, Ruby gave herself one final twirl to see what imperfections she could find. The red hoodie was a must, a crimson flare to her look, one that matched her dark leggings. Underneath the jacket was a black camisole top emblazoned with one of the many goth bands she had grown to love over the years, soft fabric and nicest trim made it the best top for the job. Over the leggings she chose the standard red and black checkered punk shirt with a friggin' fabulous pair of black boots, the kind that came with just too many buckle straps the way she loved. Perfect touch to finish her off. Make up wasn't her thing, so just a touch of violet eye shadow, a little bit of blush, but no lip stick. Couldn't figure that out anyways, perpetual clown face a much worse fate than light lips.

     "Coming!" She called out, brushing out the smooth red and black hair, untangling it into the fine straight that better framed her face. Perfect, or perfect enough. Bolting up the stairs, she met the mistress of the house at the top.

     "Aye, bonita Ruby. You look good!" she noted, giving her a once over in the foyer.

     "Holy cow, what about you?!" the whole former rebel thing hadn't really stuck home about Envida until tonight. The person who greeted Ruby at the door wasn't the picturesque work at home mom, she was a bad ass in a leather jacket and skinny black studded jeans. She had perfect make up that accentuated her features in a dark tone, and everything from the white and red extras on her clothes to the studded bracelet made Ruby feel stupid for keeping her goth stuff locked in the closet. "You look gorgeous."

     "Gracias Ruby, I have a date tonight. Your Dad is ahh, meeting up with me later." she had a cunning look and it was great to see that neither fun nor romance ended at adulthood like everyone seemed to say.

     "Where to?" Ruby asked, as Envida held the door open for her step-daughter. The outside air was chilly past dusk, but everywhere, even in this village, was lights. The Vytal festival was on, despite the nip of the night air. Nothing stops the fun.

     "Very far away from you kids," she replied with a good laugh, popping the car doors open and sliding inside the family car, "No eyy, offense?"

     "Not even a little," Ruby answered with a bright grin sliding into the passenger seat of their little sedan. Happy to find tensions down and the comforts of friendship, the start of real family bonds, replacing them. They still argued, both her parents wanted her to pick something for a program, something practical like Engineering, a counter to Yang's shaky college record. It was another path maybe, they said engineering, something that made sense, Weiss said Creative Writing, something Ruby cared about, and Penny said _when it's right_ which it never seemed to be.

_No,_ Ruby thought, _today is for smiles._ The car jerked back into the rubble road and left her worries behind in the house.

     The whole of El Vale and surrounding communities focused their holiday energy to the 'Fall Festival of Vytal', the origins of which were apparently debateable, but the result was far from it. The past few weeks were mad with set up. Lights were strung from the buildings, huge paper mache statues erected all over the city and in the last few days audio equipment was being stuffed into every corner. The streets filled with tourists from all over Spain, the whole event turning into a bit of a national happening. Tonight though was the big night. They called it the burning, and everyone was going out, plenty with dates, but also friends.

     Ruby hadn't fully grasp the extent of the transformation until she hit the mountain pass over the city. Little ocean town was weaved in an immaculate spiders web of multicolored lights, as if it would trap all the winds and people inside, It vibrated and shifted shapes and bright veins between buildings blinked off and on, and even there, in the distance, it felt like she could hear music despite the space between. Portland had its festivals, plenty of them, but this was another thing entirely.

     With the density of people, there was no driving deep into downtown, so Ruby could only get close from the edges, the red tiled roofed buildings mere hangers for the glowing neon lines that were now above her. The usually low key tan structures were covered in temporary paintings turned into canvases for the artistic once a year, and all the businesses were left open to the wind. No doors were closed, no street empty. Impromptu parades formed out of bar goers, many waving the Spanish flag and the symbol of Beacon's soccer team, which had won the Vytal festival tournament. They would roar and cheer, their excitement bouncing into Ruby's body, making her restless and excited.

    "Do you know where you are going?" Ms. Long asked, navigating the flowing slow traffic, watching every turn so not to be stuck by a sudden car or passer by.

     "I'm meeting up at main square near the docks, then the pier. To see the burning." Ruby replied, focused solely on the people about, the full resturants and bars, the beautiful men and woman walking together in every pairing imaginable in equal comfort and celebration.

     "Bein, that's a great show. Can you walk from here? Is bad traffic," she noted, understandably given the crowd.

     "Yeah I'm good, thank you!" Ruby replied, waiting for the car to stop before she opened the door and let the music really strike her to the core, the beats heavy in the street and near deafening, but in the best possible way.

     "Enjoy!" Ms. Long shouted from the front as Ruby escaped the car.

     "You too!"

     Alone now, the streets felt like flowing rivers of people, colored in outfits, paints and bodies. The unclear path was almost an adventure of itself, bringing to mind the elaborate stories of fantastical Carnivals and Masquerades Ruby read about in books and played in a flurry of games, adding to the unrealness of her life. Living a story, but it was real, she was real. The night was real, and it was exhilerating.

     It wasn't a terribly long walk to Plaza del Mistral, one of the four main squares of the inner city and closest to the docks. It almost looked like a courtyard, but was impossibly sized, surrounded by connected tan buildings older than America itself, and a remnant of when Vale was four villages or something like that. The only way in the plaza was the many alleyways that cut their way into the center, not even a cars sized in width, each lined with bars, clubs, shops selling clothes and touristy fans in vibrant colors. Interior were all cafes with outdoor seating and all of them were packed despite the cold, each focused around the truck sized paper mache constructs, some clowns or others national heroes like Don Quijote and El Cid with cartoony features. These caricatures then surrounded the center of the square, a marble statue of Hellenic hero Achilles, ripped muscles and a boyish ideal figure armed with a spear and shield, as Yang told it, a nod to the urban myth that mistral of the four original settlements had been a Greek trade colony, though no one could prove it.

     Below the statue, much more feminine, much smaller, and much more ideal, awaited Weiss, the German princess from a far away land, and Ruby's heart. She looked stunning, dressed in a white dress peacoat combo that hinted black at its ends, the longest boots Ruby had ever seen before in her life, heeled on top of that, and her usual off kilter ponytail that just help show off her perfect slender neck, it was just god damn unfair.

     "Weiss!" Ruby's voice somehow cascaded over the the music and struck Weiss in the ear, as well as a few slightly annoyed party goers. Didn't matter, that snow skinned girl turned her head to Ruby and gave the meagerest of smiles, crossing her arms over her chest, as she was one to do. Of course Ruby had to come to _her_ not the other way around. The redhead didn't mind.

     "Hi!" she added, jogging right over to her, hands locked in her hoodie pockets for warmth and smile bright.

     "Hello Ruby," Weiss replied with a raised and curious eye. Those blue irises scanned her, judging the outfit Ruby didn't doubt. Hopefully she didn't mind the whole like punk Goth thing, cause it was quite a bit of that offset only by a cheery grin and a can do attitude. _Pass, pass, pass please._ "You certainly clean up well. You look really good tonight." _Heck yeah!_

     Inside Ruby felt like she could punch a rhino to death, outside she blushed a little and scratched the back of her head in a rather standard unassuming attitude. "Thanks Weiss, you look absolutely beautiful," Ruby mumbled barely audible, causing Weiss' eyes to open a touch wide, only a touch, _happy surprised or creepy surprised?_ "So uhh, where's Penny?" She wasn't going to risk it.

     "Oh her? I told her to meet us at Plaza del Vacuo,"

     "Weiss that's on the other side of town!"

     "Exactly," Weiss replied with a menacing smile, evil in her heart and a frightening willingness to rid herself of anything unwanted. Ruby remembered why she was as afraid of the heiress as she was in crush with her. "I figured out a way to deal with that nuisance indefinitely." _Oh dear lord she had her killed._

     "Friends!" The familiar sound of Penny's voice whipped Ruby right around, eyes glimmering in almost tears as she charged right at the little Yorkish ginger. Dressed with a bit more of a cute tomboy look, Penny wore an open green flannel shirt with dim red stripes that complimented her hair, all worn over a beige blouse. Add the blue denim jeans cuffed to the knee, one slightly shorter than the other and her usual little bow she looked just precious.

     "Penny oh thank god! I thought you got taken out German mafia style!" The two girls collided into a bear hug. Ruby out of worry, Penny just because.

     "Don't be dramatic I was joking, she was just late." Weiss mumbled watching the two idiots try to pick each other up and nearly tripping each other up in the process. Ruby didn't mind though, part of friendship was trusting she could look stupid in front of either of them, letting it be funny awkward as they tried to decide the bear hug order. Weiss was less amused, eyes looking down to her phone with a quick striking temper "Wait, both of you are late!"

     "More like the three of us!" a voice called out from behind with a screeching enthusiasm that could only be their resident bright eyed dutch girl. Nora was here in a short pink sundress, which Ruby immediately noticed was worn with short-shorts hiding underneath, completely in disregard of the fall air.

     "Four of us Nora," Ren complained, coming behind her in a loose fitting green shirt and baggy pants complete with what could only be described as jesus sandles, "Wait did you seriously forget to count me?"

     "Oh come on Ren! We're like together!" Nora replied, swinging her actually fairly buff arm around Ren, pulling him into a headlock that, either from sleepiness or experience, he did not resist. "I mean not like together together. I more meant like you know we spend a lot of time together and it's like we're the same person, no wait that's creepy…" The young man beneath her arm just chuckled, either from that or the shade of pink on her cheeks.

     "Ren. I don't see you out much," Weiss noted, speaking directly to the trapped boy. Ruby resisted making a crack about her finally talking to someone her own height, but a revisit of the old, is Ruby one inch taller talk wasn't worth it.

     "Hi Weiss. Yeah wasn't my idea, Nora tends to drag me around."

     "I can sympathize," Weiss shot a loot at Ruby, but the girl replied with a stuck out tongue and a smile, "But today I think I'm the source of your trouble, or maybe _Penny's_ seeing as no one mentioned a bigger group. Hope you don't mind."

     "It'll be fun," Ren answered back, signalling Nora to release him from his arm cage. Ruby was happy to see them talk, or just Weiss talking to anyone without needing her to facilitate the conversation. This was a solid idea, and one at a time the princess was going to grow on them quick.

     "Get ready!" Penny yelped from behind Ruby, jumping on her back and knocking the girl from her thoughts back into the plaza with everyone else.

     "Jesus Penny!" Ruby let out, trying desperately not to fall with the added weight, girl was way heavier than she looked. She must work out like a son of a gun. "Well guys! Time to move out!"

* * *

     "Wow, it's huge.. Let's burn it!" Ruby called out on the pier, finally smashing her way with the rest to the front of the crowd, the mass of people so tightly packed she swore nuclear fusion might begin. It wasn't too bad, Weiss was pressed tightly against her shoulder leaving her giddy in a way that only a middle schooler would over something so small. On the other side it wasn't that shocking. Everyone was here to see the same thing, the largest of the festive statues, a monument of paper mache, a multicolored elephant stood on an artificial island, meant only for this display, its body wrapped around a false tower that seemed to stretch three stories high, the pointed tip going even farther, clown masks and multicolored animal features coming from every corner of this pyre of paper.

     "Be patient! They're still setting it up I think," Weiss urged, the festival workers distinctive by their black, probably fire retardant, body suits and white and red festival masks were about, dumping fluid and setting up some sort of sparker. They would have been invisible if not for the white masks that made them look like ghosts in the night air, glinting only be the vibrant web of lights that reached out to the street like thin multicolored fingers into the sea. The frosty air was chilling to the bone, and Ruby couldn't wait to see this baby burn.

     "It's only a few moments now friend!" Penny announced with an eye on the clock, festivities starting at nine and ending at one, the sun a distant memory now.

     "I'm so excited! Please tell me it's going to go boom Ren?!"

     "No Nora."

     "Can I make it go boom?"

     "No Nora." The two of them were having their own banter between Penny and the other pair. Ruby noticed Ren was hugging Nora from behind, helping her keep warm in the icy wind perhaps? It was cute and gave Ruby a risky idea.

     "What are you doing?" Weiss mumbled, but it was too late, Ruby was dead set on slipping her hand into her's before her courage was gone for good.

     "My hand's cold," she excused sliding the german's fingers between her own, feeling a shocking sensation, "Wow why are your hands so friggin' cold!"

     "Do I look like I have good circulation!" Weiss yelled back, right into Ruby's ear, "And if it's so cold why haven't you let go!?"

     "Friends it's starting!" Penny roared right with the crowed as the music started up, a pumping party song, bass signaling the workers to hit it, a blaze, a small spark, burst up the fluid,veins of flames running tall to the center, it didn't take long for the bottom to begin burning, the orange burned up and a vortex spiralled up with the music striking heavy.

     "Oh my god, it's beautiful," Weiss barely made herself heard over the music. The spiral fires caught everything in moments and suddenly it was all burning, the elephant was spewing fire from it's paper trunk, the eyes burned out into crimson lights, the tower of clowns were caught in reds and oranges, some deeper parts even in blue, yet it kept its form. The statue was not ruined by the fire, it was completed with it. Suddenly it wasn't cold, it was hot, the searing flames kissed Ruby's cheeks in waves, and though she was several hundred feet away, the pyre felt just like a campfire as it licks the hands of a frosty camper.

     Despite the heat, Weiss and Ruby were still holding hands, and Ren and Nora each other. The fire was gorgeous, but the Rose girl turned away, to look at her crush, thankful for what she saw, a rare treasure no one would believe existed. Weiss wasn't just smiling, something that was rare gift but not one that never graced their friendship, this was more. To see the silver girl have such childlike wonder, to see her stare eyes wide, mouth pulled open in a full smile, to see amazement on her face, brought that same expression to Ruby. It was the best event of the festival.

     Though the memory would be immortal in her mind, every moment is transient, and everything that burns must exhaust itself with time. The wind spun the quickly forming ash out into the sea. bits of it falling about, but most fell apart eventually, the exoskeleton of the statue standing as its paper skin burned off into piles of flame. The largest of these pyres like a Beacon, others would begin to burn all over the city as this one died a slow death.

     "Ren we should see if we can get closer! I wanna see the inside!" Nora announced eyes alight with adventure and an inhuman drive. This girl was walking trouble, and it was so hard not to love it.

     "Nora I don't think we can do that, plus we would need a boat right?" Ruby cut her off, trying her best to be reasonable with her before it gave Ren a heart attack.

     "We can swim! Trust me I just need to get over this thing!" Nora actually started climbing, though she barely got one hand on the crowd barricade before Ren was on her, pulling her down by the waist before she got herself arrested.

     "Nora no!" Ruby never heard Ren shout before, wasn't even that loud, but damn did its rarity make it impressive.

     "I got her!" Penny jumped in, grasping another weight on the girl's arm. Still she struggled, a titan in a tiny body.

     "But I wanna!" Nora whined. Ruby considered adding her meager weight to the pile, but Weiss' hand was still clutching hers, and now pulling.

     "Weiss?" Ruby asked, turning to see her special friend tugging her with a desperate look.

     "We have to hurry I want to see the others!" She was acting like a child and it just melted Ruby into bits.

     "But the others?" Ruby asked, knowing it didn't matter, they were still messing around, not even noticing the Weiss pulling on her, nor the crowd rushing all over the city.

     "Now!" Weiss turned to run, but didn't let go, near tripping Ruby as they lurched forward down the red cobble stone streets away from the pier and into the bright city lights. The town had changed even in the little time between the walk down and up like an evolving maze with full open air dance floors for dead ends and streams of people replacing the usual walls. Fog rolled in, partially artificial, partially smoke, but all turning different colors with the flashing of slow strobes.

     All through the path they ran, ran despite Weiss' heels, regardless of the unathletic choking breaths that progressively were becoming giggles as each one ran out of energy. Yet they pushed forward, returning to to Plaza Del Mistral, the burnings already begun, big, beautiful, balls of bloody fire as Penny would say. It wasn't as impressive, but left them no less wonderstruck.

     "They're amazing. I had heard, but I never thought it would be like this," Weiss voiced, looking at the statue of Don Quijote burn apart, the donkey melting down first into a pile of ash, these smaller ones allowed much closer access, the heat you could almost touch it.

     "Yang told me about this, said she wanted me to see it so badly with her, but that was when we were little. Glad to see it...with you though," Ruby replied, hoping not to say too much with the added you, but she didn't seem to mind, Weiss was too busy being a kid for once.

     "I am too. Thank you for coming," she responded blue eyes locked on the red fire, just like Ruby's silver, but still they both took their fair share of glances.

     "Well it's not over yet, still more to see." Ruby felt a touch of the wanderlust Weiss had before. She could do this all night, run around the world together.

     "Yeah, but maybe this plaza is," Weiss announced pointing at the firefighters who were washing away the dying statues, and sometimes to the behest of the crowd turned their hose to the sky, dropping a torrent of cold water down on the fire burnt watchers, "Really don't feel like getting drenched."

     "I don't know, I wouldn't mind seeing you get wet," Ruby replied casually, not noticing the shocked look on Weiss' face.

     "Ruby!"

     "What? It would be funny! like it's not that much, if your peacoat gets wet the fire will...dry...it." Weiss was cracking into full laughter, covering her mouth with her hand politely. "I'm a profound brand of stupid. Sorry." Ruby felt her cheeks highlight, this time not from the heat or the coastal winds.

     "You are such an innocent little flower child of a dolt, oh my," Weiss couldn't stop laughing, but held it together long enough to take a deep breath, gave a chuckle and offered her hand, "Shall we be off?"

     "Lets."

* * *

     For an hour and a half they wandered, drifting from plaza to plaza, traipsing from red brick to red brick, past fountains covered in lights and taking brief seconds to join the dance floors they turned the remnants of the burnings into. Never a single place for long, grabbing only a drink or two at a local cafe where they took a hydration and bathroom break. It was here Ruby broke down from guilt and texted Penny. She had parted with Nora and Ren at the bar and wandered with a few friends, they both agreed to accidentally meet at the last big burning in Plaza del Vale.

     Weiss wasn't surprised, or pleased to see Penny there, but soon enough their weird hate thing faded back into friendly banter. Ruby knew they would get along, and though special time with Weiss alone was wonderful, tonight was about breaking her out of the social shell she had hid herself in since she got here. Part two was approaching, the Final burning a short break before Ruby dragged her to the pub.

     Here they replicated the Beacon statues,the two knights and the wolf, about two stories tall and burning apart into nothing. The knights standing strong long before the wolf crumbled, perhaps the poetic pyrotechnics were intentional, regardless Ruby thought it was wonderful.

     Other students were there, though Ruby barely spoke to them, the twins Malachite along with their dates could be found near scattered students from her english course. As soon as the statue crumbled, the festival roared its last roar before dispersing into the bars and clubs and plaza dance floors. The families left for home and the old left for bed, leaving only the young or the festive out to rule the rest of the night. They, like so many others, departed for their own place.

     Weiss was none the wiser at first, tossing stories back and forth about their respective high schools and countries, unaware that the neon alleyways they walked, the cobble pathways between building not fit for a car, were towards the bar. It wasn't until Penny, walking backwards carefully between the paved blocks of stone, became eclipsed by the lights, people, and sound, backed into the front of the pub, its black wooden doors forced open by the mass going in and out and cheers rocking the world came from both inside and those whom waited in the night air.

     "I was wondering why we passed the schools, _you_ are taking me to a bar?" Weiss noted with a slight chuckle, eyes squinted at Ruby with an incredulous look, "Just so you know I'm not a queer bar sort of lesbian, I prefer coffee to beer."

     "A, it's not a bar it's a pub! B, it's not just a queer pub it's an everyone pub, and lastly, C, what do you mean by that?!" Ruby crossed her arms and returned a glare, Weiss did the same of course, but with more of a smirk then a scowl, convinced of her superior position. Whatever superior position she thought she had, if any, was only because of some high heels and silly misconceptions of Ruby's sunny disposition somehow meaning she was just a "kid", patently false.

     "You look like a, what is the word in english, teetotaler?" Weiss cut back,flicking back some of her pony tail.

     "As if I don't like tea!" Ruby replied with confidence that shattered as both her and Penny had a decent laugh.

     "Come on friends, we can settle this inside yeah?" Penny offered, giving both of them an opportunity for peace. Ruby nodded, but remembered Weiss' declaration against bars. It was up to her, and the redhead didn't push. Her plan was to change the way people thought about her, and that wasn't happening without Weiss being able to be comfortable.

     "Alright," she conceded, fixing her alabaster hair once again, "for you Ruby. Just this once."

     Once inside the extent of the college's influence on the bar could be felt like Ruby had never seen it. The wooden little dinky place was packed full, the bar pool tables and games loaded with guys and gals from all over the university. The inside was aflutter with life, foreigners from all over chatting energetically in a thousand tongues, only the smallest lines of space formed to make rivers of moving people and the over-worked waitstaff. Fox was about, the dark skinned spaniard running drinks passed them before they could say hi. There was a new one, some asian man, massive guy, sending orders to the back. All the TVs were replaying the soccer matches from the tournament, each one with a unique set of subtitles. Seating was sparse, and the people so unfamiliar, till from the darkness in the elevated seating for only Beacon students came to life, Blake's hand raised voice calling out for Ruby, even if it was drowned by the others.

     Despite that the redhead caught it and dragged her companions through the thin opening to the slight stairs. Suddenly it was all familiar faces. Ren sat cornered with Nora, who was waging a war with her second plate of food, the dutch girl's energy only maintained with equivalent appetite. Velvet was another lovely wall flower, dressed in a thin everyday brown parka, the hood down and white frilly fuzz framing her head. She wore dark leggings with a dim gold skirt that flowed as she moved. Jaune could be found on his phone, usual blue jeans and white shirt that went well with his gold hair, but otherwise seemed bland. Blake of course was there, not in a work uniform but instead a stylish dress shirt that came up a little short, skin tight black jeans that exemplified what Yang openly described as the Bella-booty, protected by a folded down bit of cloth that Ruby thought of as a cute little buttcape. She had heels that rivaled Weiss' and of course the black bow at the top of her head. Despite being off work, Ruby did note the sets of drinks in her hand.

     "Blake! Guys!" the red head called out, rushing over to the smiles of her friends. They were all compacted in this special space, still forced around three tables and the back wall. Penny was quick to slide in besides Nora, stealing a chip from her plate and swinging about her legs. Weiss was more conservative, Blake and her sharing a look almost immediately. Neither sat and Ruby nearly groaned, taking her seat by Penny, motioning for Weiss to follow. She did not, too busy in a glare battle to see which of the two children would sit down first.

     "Hello lads and lasses," Coco called out with her usual charm, nearly throwing a drink at one patron as she passed, the flamboyant flare to her always perfect. She kept the sunglasses on, though it seemed a tad superfluous, her beret was crisp despite her constant working, and fashionable corset and long sleeve combo looking styling. "Penny," she added, pointed down toward the ginger's miss matched legs, "your cuffs are off."

     "Oh hey, that is a problem," Penny replied with a smile, quickly fixing the imbalance.

     "I sense you always let your mother dress you?" Coco questioned, a bit of a diva.

     "Nope my dads did."

     " _Dads_?"

     "Hey Coco, I got this table," Blake cut in, turning away from her seat and right towards the bar.

     "No, _you_ aren't working tonight, now shut your pretty little mouth and enjoy your day off." Coco spun Blake right around, and with an odd amount of grace pseudo-shoved her right into her seat, the young student planting her patootie where she wanted it.

     "Coco-"

     "If I see you making one more drink I'm going to hand-cuff ya to that damn table, and I promise it will not be that kinky fun. Aye?" Coco commanded with her as usual frighteningly cool tone that danced too well between serious and whimsical. To this Blake could do little more than nod and roll her eyes. "So what are ya having to drink?" The strange girl continued, her red dyed twirl of hair end of hers highlighting her facial features as she looked over everyone, stopping at Weiss, "You're new face. Habla Inglés?"

     "Yes, I'm Deutsch, German still in Irish English right?" Weiss answered mechanically, awkwardly sitting down between Blake and Ruby, sandwiched between the polar opposite intentions.

     "Trust my boots, not my accent, I'm French, what'll you have?" Coco replied with immediate comfort, unaffected by her patron's lack of approachability. Weiss waved her over, the girl leaning down to hear an order near whispered like some secret mix. "Yea that's an easy mix."

     "Thank you, my name is Weiss Schnee by the way." A good approach to being friendly and of course Coco returned a pleasant smile, either unaware or immune to the silly College social politics

     "My name is Coco Adel, pleasure. I've heard a lot about you from Ruby. And everyone else?" A rush of orders came at her all at once, a competition of items from Nora alone who seemed to want a different drink every second. Ruby sat in happy silence, swinging her legs undisturbed till Weiss poked at her belly for attention.

     "Huh?" she asked, looking back at Weiss whom started at her quizzically.

     "You talk about me?" The glare she gave Ruby seemed both accusatory and curious, like she was waiting to know whether to be surprised or offended, making the defendant a little nervous.

     "Yeah, sometimes?" Ruby replied with a light chuckle, scratching the back of her head as was her custom.

     "What do you say?" Weiss mumbled in a low voice, squinting harshly.

     "I don't know, about how you're really smart, music stuff if they will listen, I don't know, stories too of all the fun stuff we do. Like tonight." Ruby felt herself turn a little red, but Weiss' eyes went wide with not unpleasant surprise.

     "You're not saying I'm a bitch are you?" Ruby was caught so off guard she snorted a laugh.

     "No, never," she let out as soon as she could catch her laugh. Weiss smiled a little, shoulders relaxed and body eased just a little. Ruby thought it was a silly question, but considering the betrayals of the past, it was understandable, so she smiled back unabashedly

     "Thank you," Weiss whispered squeezing Ruby's arm, "because if you do I will get revenge so terrible nations would quake." _When had threats become funny?_ Yet it made both of them laugh till Coco tapped her on the shoulder.

     "And Ruby, you'll have your usual?" The usual being milk, something normally Ruby drank with pride knowing her bones were strong and liver hearty, but with the crush here, ordering super special drinks. She could not be seen as weak, alcohol had to be consumed, for the bae.

     "No!" Ruby muttered, nearly hiccuping, "Uhh, for tonight get me what uhhh, Velvet ordered." She could only hope Velvet had a light taste.

     "You're getting a cherry vodka cocktail?" Coco for the first time ever, lowered her sunglasses just a little to stare Ruby right in the eyes. _She knows!_

     "Yes!" Ruby reaffirmed to the surprise of everyone, mostly Coco, who seemed to barely control herself.

     "Oh I can't wait to tell Yang," Coco noted, turning with her orders to the bar itself, and everyone fell into animate discussions. Blake snuck away, but in her absence Velvet and Weiss actually started talking, sharing the most basic of hellos, more conversation than they had ever had before. Jaune got involved at the mention of Weiss' childhood growing up in a modern castle called Weissenburg, which was apparently different from Weißenburg, a place of huge white halls and massive garden estates the likes of which Ruby simply could not imagine, though she did note that it was home to a quiet expansive family, and was owned in parts, one whole section turned into a tourist attraction. Yet the the sheer size of it, a five story castle the width of several buildings made Ruby a little nervous of any Schnee sleep over. Her little spanish keep of a house wasn't really going to cut it.

     Soon enough Coco returned with the drinks and everyone was talking. Weiss' unapproachableness became the center of attention, even Coco found the time to be especially attentive. She was the new kid in a way and suddenly Ruby was the gatekeeper to all her little eccentricities. The silver girl's collection of stuffed, teddy bear, dogs at home or how Weiss had never driven a car before in her rich little life, adding on to that Ruby happened to slip how one night the two of them might have _borrowed_ one of the golf carts professors used around the university to teach her how to drive, well kind of drive.

     "Well I never Ruby! I have you all know, I have never broken the law!" Weiss declared interrupting the tale of exploits and wonder. Whether it was excitement over the hungry eyes of Ruby's captured audience, or the acid tasting cherry mess she had just downed to match with Weiss' consumption glass for glass, but either way she didn't feel quite done with her story!

     "So you didn't get scared and force me to drive it back after we got to our first sharp turn?" Ruby dared, pointing her finger at the red colored Weiss.

     "Shut up you said you wouldn't ever tell!" Weiss punched Ruby's shoulder but she just laughed it off, enjoying the tantrum too much.

     "Oh my god, Glynda will destroy you!" Velvet announced trying so hard to hold in her laughter, but failing miserably.

     "No she won't because no one is telling her such awful lies! Got it?!" Weiss was so angry, but all it seemed was cute. Now everyone was laughing and smiling and joking with her around her.

     "Alright princess, we'll keep your secret." Even Blake, though few noticed her return till she spoke, seemed to enjoy this. Mom had always told Ruby familiarity might breed contempt, but almost always ended hate, which never made a lot of sense, though she guessed this is what it meant. They were political enemies before, but in this bar they were just some university girls, might even be friends.

     "I'm not going to have to bribe you now am I?"

     "I'm a better sport than that," Blake replied with a smile, "Plus me and Yang stole a couple once too, but we were piss drunk so that's our excuse."

     "Well I might not be, but Ruby's going to be if she keeps up like this," Weiss remarked, switching the topic over to little old Ruby, whom was so innocently nursing her cherry death drink. It tasted so bad and felt weird in her mostly empty stomach.

     "What?" Ruby punctuated with a tiny burp.

     "How many of those have you had?" Weiss asked intensely.

     "How many of yours have you had?" Ruby shot back.

     "I'm on my fourth."

     "Oh my god, same!" Ruby felt herself laugh, she didn't really know why. Weiss found it less funny, rubbing her temples in frustration. With a shake of the head, and a lean forward, Weiss moved in for a whisper.

     "Ruby, you idiot, I'm ordering watered down drinks just to be social. Neither of us drink." That was the loudest whisper Ruby had ever heard. On the plus side, she definitely wasn't out drunk by Weiss. On the less plus side she was perhaps drunk. She didn't feel that drunk, more like everything she did or said ran on a delay. Or maybe thats what being drunk was. If so Ruby felt horribly disappointed.

     "Hey Weiss, I got you something!" Coco's voice turned all heads, including the two of theirs, she was coming out of the stream of people, which had gotten a touch thinner. She carried a small acoustic guitar. "I hear you're some sort of music genius, I wanna hear you play. I barely touch the thing any more."

     "No," Weiss said flatly, but Coco was undeterred.

     "You know you want to."

     "No one would hear it."

     "Hey," Coco shouted behind her, "Shut up!" The pub at large didn't shut down, but did get a touch quieter, their sectioned off part even more quiet.

Wasn't long before a short chant of "Do it!" that may or may not have been started by Ruby, she would not confess if anyone asked her. This worked, and Weiss relented, taking up the instrument handed to her, much like the others she stock piled in her room, though she seemed to awkwardly feel the instrument for it's eccentricities that Ruby could not see. "So I suppose I should play something Irish? Since it's like a pub," she strummed once and winced, "How out of tune did you let it get?!"

     "Like I said, I don't play it much." Weiss ignored Coco, focusing on the knobs at the top, turning them and strumming to find her notes, slowly turning the guitar to its finely tuned original state, whatever that was. Then she played. Not much at first, a few strums, solitary notes that meant nothing in particular order.

     " _Of all the money, that e'r I had, I spent it all in good company...and all the harm that e'r I done, Alas it was to none, but me...and all I've done, for want of wit, to memory now, I can't recall...so fill to me, the parting glass...good night and joy be with you all"_

     There was a softness to her voice, an impressively replicated accent, each couplet rhyme had its own tugs on the guitar, but only to back up the vocals. Ruby could listen to her sing for days, it was entrancing, and as the music filled her, the redhead felt sleepy, alcohol running in her blood helping that along she was sure. Weiss added a tap to her foot after a short break in lines, and with the beat followed the second half of her song.

     " _Of all the comrades that e'r I had they're sorry for my going away...and all the loves e'r I've loved, they all wish me one more day to stay...But since it falls, onto my lot, that should rise, and you should...not, I'll gently rise and softly call, good night and joy be with you all."_ It was a short little song, one that better illustrated her voice than the accompanying guitar. Finishing she received a modest applause from their section of the pub, though talking resumed elsewhere. She played another song after, but Ruby could feel herself slip, it was harder to think, and she was more tired now than ever.

     Perhaps it was a song later, or two, but eventually it stopped, and Ruby's eyes remained closed and somehow pressed against Weiss' shoulder. There was laughing and talking, the social barrier had finally been shattered completely. Yet despite the noise, the only thing that stirred her was the singer's voice.

     "Ruby you're sleeping on me."

     "I know it's nice."

     "You're drunk."

     "Sorry."

     "It's okay." There was a pause, least Ruby thought there was, "I had fun. We should do this more."

     "Yeah, I really want more days like this, the two of us. I like being together." Fear hadn't come to mind, it would later.

     "Maybe we can set a day." That would be nice. Almost a date, a real one though. She was afraid to ask, but this was closer. She wanted that.

     "Yeah."

     "Hold on, I need to use the restroom." Hands lifted Ruby's head and she found it pressed against another's shoulder. It was warm

     "Hi friend." _Penny or is it still Weiss?_

     "Hi friend."

     "You okay? Too much to drink?"

     "Nope, just sleepy." That was a lie.

     "I wanted to ask you something, privately, but it was hard to get you away from Weiss. You awake enough to listen?"

     "Yeah." _Wait where was Weiss?_

     "Ruby, I like you."

     "I like you too." Everyone was great.

     "You do!" _Why wouldn't I?_ "I mean, I just I thought maybe you were, well with Weiss. Nevermind, I don't mean to rush you, but would you like to go on a date?"

     "Yeah." She would very much like a date with Weiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ****(end notes)Hello everyone! Sorry for the lateness, medical issues still are on the forefront of my plate right now I hope you understand and editing issues! This is likely the second chapter I've most thought about and at over 7k words which I know is stupid big and I'm sorry, I think it shows. This is based heavily, though not exactly, on my time in Alicante during La Falles, which is one of my favorite things I've ever done by a mile. Highly recommend the festival to any tourist looking for something unique. Note the main La Falles is in Valencia, but I personally was in Alicante.
> 
> On a side note I love that Weiss and and Blake wear actual peoples clothes in their Alternate outfits. Literally two hours and a skype call were had designing everyone's outfits. Thank you Snow-White-and-little-red for the help and also for editing assistance thanks to Arkapella and TCR. LazyKatze is on hiatus for another week so editors are always needed. Also I have a new tumblr booking-and-blogging where I will post updates answer all questions and screw around. Still learning how the system works so things are a little weird.
> 
> On the last note I want to say my song of choice is in memory of Monty Oum, the original song much more heavily involved guitar, but in this case I felt it important to choose a song about parting as a last goodbye. Also goodbye to fellow writer Yellowsign. They favorited choice when it was just starting, now they won't get to see it end. That hit me. Rest in peace, both of them. Goodnight everyone.


	12. Fuck You

**Blake Belladonna**

     It is difficult to stop looking at the clock. Most everyone did that at work, but as Coco kept drilling into her head, she wasn't at work. That didn't stop her from finding herself something to do, much to Velvet's dismay. A quick drink pick up, helping with the register when the new guy screwed it over, collecting orders for Port back in the kitchen, the poor man covered in so much grease he could slide instead of walking. There was plenty to do, and Blake needed it.

     "Fox, I need three pints of Guinness, please!" Blake called out, waiting for the drinks at the bar. The whole festival had lacked last year's splendor, despite being a fraction of the work. Blake had gone out to see the burnings with Velvet, but that never took her mind away from the Vytal Kick Boxing Championships, and what came after. She knew she shouldn't care, but it made her sick and fried her nerves knowing exactly what Yang was going to do when she won. Replace one target with another, Blake with Pyrrha, and she couldn't help but wonder if they would spend the weekend in the same way. That made Blake feel empty, but not knowing whether Pyrrha said yes or not was killing her.

     "No, you are not working, Blake. I told ya this once, I did." Ice cold metal snapped against Blake's wrist, alerting her that Coco wasn't a liar. She really did it, she actually handcuffed the overworked girl right to the bar stool. It didn't prevent her from leaving so much as insured that wherever Blake went the barstool would follow, but damn if she did not have to give the girl credit.

     "Coco, come on, let me go. I'm just helping," Blake argued, shaking the wrist trap, wondering if it was real or a sex toy and if she really wanted it to be one or the other.

     "I don't need your help. I got the new Chinese, er, Tibetan guy? Anyways, you seen the bastard?! Didn't even know they made them in that size! God damn, with some training he'll be worth three of you lot." Yatsuhashi had been a really rare hire, hard to find workers that were young, fit, spoke English, and preferably didn't go to the college. He excelled in all these categories, especially the whole being fit thing. Quiet guy looked like he tossed cars around for a living.

     "I'm fine," Blake grumbled, not really answering her question. She was more focused on how to serve drinks carrying a metal frame around. Perhaps resting the drink on it? No... maybe.

     "So are we. It's late, people are thinning out now. Half of your mates have gone home, same with the sailors. We can do this. You got one of the cutest little dates for the night wanting you to talk her up and buy her a drink, eh? How about you do it!?" Coco pointed to Velvet, sitting at the college table with only Ren, Nora, and Jaune to keep her company. Ruby fell asleep drunk, and after Weiss and Penny argued over who should have the job of bringing her home, Coco settled it by calling all three a cab, putting it on Yang's tab. God, that redhead keep pulling in the crazies. Still, Blake didn't like the way Coco was talking. She always got so uppity with the subject of Velvet, making a pet project out of her happiness.

     "Stop making it weird, Coco. Velvet's a good friend," Blake muttered with a sigh, knowing full well there was a blurred line between them. It was up to argument whether their night together was suppose to be a date. Blake didn't think so at the time, but her dorm mate seemed in between. It stupidly made her feel like a cheater, as if she owed Yang anything. "When do you think Yang's getting here? The Championship was over hours ago."

     "Blake, did you look at the results?" Coco asked, intent shielded from Blake's gaze by a pair of dark sunglasses. Didn't really matter when it came to results, Yang would win, she always did, but how beat up would she be when she came back? That was what haunted Blake about fights.

     "No," Blake admitted. Yang never liked people she knew coming to her matches or worrying about if she won or not. She said it didn't look cool. Really, Blake thought she just wanted not to feel pressure. If only that girl didn't hide everything behind a tough persona and perfectly practiced smiles. Some people kept others away with a scowl, she did it just as well with a grin

     "You should check it," Coco mumbled, unlocking the cuffs on Blake's risk, "Now stop thinking about Yang."

     "I'm not!" Blake shouted back, free but irritated. She wasn't going to follow this feeling anymore, she had decided a year ago Yang wasn't right for her. Coco needed to stop trying to force thoughts of her into Blake's mind. Still, she wasn't completely wrong. Velvet, under whatever pretense, was the one tonight was suppose to be spent with. It was time to shine and make up for being a bad... _whatever_ she was tonight.

     "Two light beers, Fox, your choice, on my tab please." He poured them silently and wrote nothing down. Blake supposed that was her payment for tonight's work. Not needing a tray for two glasses, slithering her way through the thinner crowed to the raised college area. Velvet lit up seeing Blake on her way and she found it easy to smile back.

     "Hey, sorry for not being attentive," Blake apologized, sliding one of her two matching mystery beers to Coco. They could use a slightly less heavy handed drink if they wanted to continue any longer, the rosey color on Velvet's face starting to show that they were getting more than their feet wet with the alcohol. "How's this for an apology?"

     "Not bad," Velvet replied with a smile, picking up her glass, "Shall we toast?"

     "What to?"

     "New choices," she said with a smile. Blake nodded in agreement.

     "To new choices!"

     Roaring burst into the bar as the doors were bashed open, a new crowd pouring in, laughing and joking in Spanish. Some men and women in suits, but more were young girls in assorted loose fitting clothes, most with no make up in the slightest, and Blake noticed, plenty with bruises. These were the kickboxing tourney girls, and of course leading the parade was Yang with her arm over Pyrrha, each dressed in tank tops sporting personal iconography and gym shorts, not the most fashionable, sickeningly close to each other. Things went well of course. Suddenly Blake forgot all about Velvet, or anyone else. Eyes locked on the two, only made self aware when a creaking came from her cheap fake glass cup, the plastic warping as she crushed it. _Calm down._

     "Good evening, everyone! Everyone say hello to your Champion!" Yang shouted with a smile, voice a touch slurred. She was at least a little hammered, figured why they took so long, likely bar hopping. She could have at least texted Blake she won, that she was fine, not to wait, tell her she got her new fuck buddy and that everything was okay and last year could go on fucking repeat again with the new girl. Egotistical little bitch. "Pyrrha Nikos!"

_What?!_

     "The new Vytal Festival champion! Saved our college's glory, so make sure every one of you bastards give her a beer, you hear me!?" Yang always won. Infact all last year, no matter how beat up she had ever gotten, not once had Blake seen Yang lose. It was the impossible. She had been the Vytal champion since the year she could enter. Blake had watched them spar. Pyrrha was good, but not that good.

     "Blake, don't. Sit down with me, huh?" Velvet begged, but Blake just stared below dumbfounded.

     "I'm sorry, I'll be right back." There was no way, Blake had to have been way too drunk, there had to be something to explain this. Almost in a dream state she marched over to her old best friend,the blonde's eye twinkling as soon as she saw her approach.

     "There's my Blakey! Buddy, come give me a hug!" Yang charged at her, near tripping as the boxer's full body weight landed on Blake, embracing her and nearly crushing her all at once.

     "Uhh, hi, Blake!" Pyrrha called out, sober as it got and very awkward being dragged around by the heavy partiers. Maybe there was more to it. Was the way Yang lunged at Blake making her awkward? What had happened between them? Unable to form a coherent reply, Pyrrha cut in for Blake. "I'm going to talk to Jaune now, sorry!"

     She separated from the two of them, but Yang remained, head notoriously heavy on Blake's collar. The woman was intoxicating, a poison that seeped into her skin with every touch, and before long it would kill her resolve. In desperation, not desire, Blake pushed her off, "Yang, what happened? You're way too drunk!"

     "I had to go celebrate!" Yang's eyes, they were ringed in horrible red, bloodshot and pain laced between her lilac irises. Still, she was smiling so wide, it was terrifying. "We got a new champion in the club, Blake!" They already had a champion.

     "Pyrrha beat you?" There was no nicer way to ask it, not while Blake's head was still swimming and this night remained a paradox.

     "Nope!" Yang was laughing, mocking sort of laughter, "I came in third! Get this, a tiny little American half pint named Neo fucking wrecked me! She didn't even throw a punch! Put me in a hold! I lost from a _hold_! Fox, get me a Strawberry Sunrise with double vodka, please!"

     "Don't," Blake ordered, seeing Yang was well past her limit. "How did Pyrrha win then? She's not as good as you." Every practice, Yang would beat her down. Pyrrha couldn't outmatch her tenacity. It didn't make sense. Nothing made sense.

     "She's better than me. I hit harder, but it doesn't matter. Neo couldn't get her in a hold and she won. She's untouchable," Yang said the words, longing for something. Was it envy of her skill? Yang was never envious of anyone. Was it longing for the girl herself? Had Yang been refused? The thought of her being rejected made Blake happy, but quickly ashamed of herself.

     "Did you ask out Pyrrha?" Blake needed to know, not just for herself, but for Yang. Whatever bitterness she felt, this was still her friend, one she couldn't escape.

     "I said I'd ask her out after I won. I didn't." Yang stopped smiling, the mask was breaking, Blake had never seen it shatter before. It was frightening in a way. "Plus I don't think I'm her type." The blonde pointed toward the new champion. She was laughing politely next to the French boy, he was talking casually to her. The two of them seemed so close. "Better a wallflower than a loser," Blake jumped as the sound of Yang's fist smashing the wooden top of the bar, "Fox, the drink, please."

     "No, Fox," Blake cut off. The older bartender paused in confusion. She didn't need more drinks, but what she did, whatever it was, it was in question whether anyone could get it. Pride dashed didn't come back at the end of the bottle. "Yang, you are not a loser." She could train, work on her hold breaks, focus less on strikes. She could win back the belt easy.

     "I can't even get you to stop hating me! What else can I be, huh?" Yang shouted tongue twisting between English and Spanish, "Fox, please, my drink!" She was so angry, those violet eyes bursting red with her bloodshot fury.

     "What?" Blake was lost. It was getting so hard to think. She regretted every drink tonight, maybe sober it would have made more sense, maybe she wouldn't stand there baffled. "I don't hate you."

     "Then forgive me, be what we use to, tell me I'm not a fuck up! Tell me how amazing I am again, that I can do it again. Stop leaving me alone because I still love you!" Everyone was staring, and Blake began to put the pieces together. The answer made her much more angry than understanding. Blake clenched her teeth, nails biting into the palms of her skin. "Fine! Same shit as always, huh Blake? Fucking hide until I pretend nothing happened again. I'm done!" Yang announced to the whole bar before storming out, near knocking out a patron on her way. Blake launched after her, done with hiding. Velvet and Coco were yelling after them, but outside Blake went. Ash was still in the air, the night crowd diminished to near nothing. Yang's bike was out, likely dragged with her on their bar hopping adventure.

     "Where the hell do you think you're going!?" Yang turned around at the sound of Blake's voice, shocked from the looks of it to hear the latter come for the former. She was never going to let that girl drive home drunk like she was, and sure as hell not like that. Blake might hide, but not this time. Not when Yang tried to put a buck shot through her heart again. "You were the one, you know! You fucking called it off, just like I knew you would!"

     "What?" Whatever joy came in this chase was sapped as Yang realized what she meant to tell her. The truth.

     "I loved you, I still do, but I didn't want to be another one of your play things you fuck and forget like the others. I ran away because I knew you were going to do it, and guess what? You did! Remember? 'Just forget about it, Blake, I was getting ahead of myself, Blake', all those excuses to cover up the fact that you just got what you wanted and ran off!" Blake knew what Yang's type did, no different than the boys before her. They used her all they wanted, never seeing her. Took what they wanted and left her astray. "Now Pyrrha was the next target, next girl for you to fuck during the Vytal festival then abandon!" A year full of hurt poured out and Blake didn't even notice the hot tears that were dripping down her face, or the crowd. Velvet was hearing, and just then Blake realized this would hurt her, too.

     Yang was shocked, the night lights coloring her in neon, golden hair like the sun's light at dawn. She was beautiful, and approaching. For one mad drunken second, Blake thought maybe something got through to Yang and she stepped closer, that maybe she would understand, sweep her off her feet, kiss the young girl and finally give her a place to be. Yang was close, Yang was crying. Blake stepped towards her, thinking finally this could be fixed.

     Then she fell. Yang's strong arms pushed her down hard, the thud on the floor painful, but more confusing than damaging. The golden girl stood alone, despite the push looking weaker than she had ever seemed before. " _Fuck you_!" she whispered, all manner of liquids dripping from her cheek. Blake had never seen Yang cry before.

     "I have never told anyone, anyone besides my family, that I loved them. No one but you! I've never lied, I've never cheated, I've never played with anyone like that! I'm sorry I shoved you, but I'm not sorry for how I live, I'm not sorry that I loved you. You ran, you ran away for two weeks, Blake! Without a word, you pretended it was fine and hid from me, so afraid I would ditch you while you fucking ditched me! I tried so hard to make you believe it never happened so you wouldn't hate me! I'm so sorry I pushed you, I'm so sorry I tried to feel like someone could love me again, but no! You abandoned me!"

     This didn't make sense. Blake stared in bafflement as Yang kept rambling on, at this point unintelligibly between slurs, the gears of her mind locking up, too much to take in. Velvet was lifting her up, and quickly she found her footing again. Not sure what to say or what to think, Blake only tried to reach out. Yang stepped out of the way when her hand nearly reached.

     "I shouldn't have shoved you," Yang repeated, just when Blake had forgotten it even happened. "I'll go away!" Without clarifying what that meant, the drunk girl turned around and bolted away to her bike, the bumblebee roaring to life in a snap. Coco tried to stop her, and Blake called out something, but no one could prevent it. Firing away into the empty street, the rear lights blurring as it gained distance, leaving Blake with the profound stupidity and regret.

     Whatever happened, Blake made a commitment to herself. No matter what, they would talk again, once sober, once they were both whole again. She wasn't going to let it go, whatever truth they were getting close to.

     She couldn't run from this, she had tried for a year, but the tears proved there was no hiding from this miasma.

* * *

**Yang Xiao Long**

     Last year's Vytal festival was the best night of Yang's life. She felt like it should have been the day her parents got back together, or when she first met little baby Ruby, but it wasn't. The best night of her life was covered in neon and fireworks, a woman in black with eyes made of gold, the title of champion, and enough alcohol to free both of them from their indecisive prisons.

     A year ago on this day, the two of them spend all that evening partying, after all, together they had worked so hard to win the kickboxing tournament, prove that Yang Xiao Long was not a flash in the pan, but a real winner and damn, she felt like one after that win. Sore and bruised she remembered picking up Blake bridal style, her club manager and the best thing in her life at the time. Yang had fallen hard for her, that black silken Italian hair, the way she walked like a villainess, the way she cared for Yang after the strikes landed. How could she not? Yet Yang always thought she was straight, hearing mention of an ex-boyfriend. It took victory and alcohol to change that. Yang could remember perfectly. Three thirty-four in the morning, she asked if Blake wanted to stay in the city, together, one cheap motel. She said yes, and Yang kissed her for it.

     Giggling they found a nice place that Friday night. Yang spent half her winnings on two nights, but she didn't care. Neither of them said it but they both knew they weren't leaving that room for a moment. It was four twenty when they first laid in bed together, naked and whole. It was intense, not in the kinky way, after all there had been girls and boys far more kinked out than Blake in her life, but this was that love making bullshit they talked about in books. The whole event took on another life, and Yang couldn't keep herself away. Sun rose before they stopped, the two of them passed out together in a nude beautiful mess.

     They never left. Next day was just a beautiful. More winnings were spent getting food and wine delivered, a whimsical day full of more kissing, touching, eating pizza, laughing as they watched prepaid movies, and a porno at one point before finding it more comical than sexy. They shared more of themselves that night, talking about childhood, how Blake missed Venice, how Yang missed her sister. They had no shame together, never clothes, it was as pristine as some sort of hotel Garden of Eden before anyone was dumb enough to eat a stupid apple. By late they started sharing their dark sides. Yang's pleasure in pain, from biting hard, scratches, or sometimes being smacked. Blake showed her how she liked to be "tied up" the knots specifically designed to be easy to break out of if she needed to, but it was like a game. Despite the stigma these things had in society, that night it felt clean. There was no shame together.

     It was that night Yang made her mistake, when all the fun was had and they just lay together, wrapped up, and mumbling about their dreams. "I love you," Yang whispered. She knew that she was heard, but Blake said nothing. At the time it felt like Blake just needed to absorb it more. She could reply in the morning. That was a mistake.

     When morning came Blake was quick to get ready, she had work, which was true, though Yang begged her to call it off. She refused, distant in hindsight, but Yang was high off two nights of bliss. She never noticed it was weird that Blake stopped touching her, that she didn't kiss her as she departed, that she said "goodbye", not "see you later, babe." There was no shame when they were together, but plenty now, and fear after that morning.

     Blake avoided Yang, blatantly running away, hiding in the back at work. She refused hugs, kisses, words. They barely spoke for two weeks, and all the students seemed to know why and no one would tell Yang a thing. She was terrified. Convinced Blake wanted a night not a girlfriend, convinced if she didn't do something her best friend, the first person she ever loved would be lost to her, Yang did something else stupid.

     Blake for the first time asked to talk to her, and Yang panicked. Believing this was the end, she ended it first. Said how she was sorry Blake felt pressured, and that she was sorry she made it weird. Said how she was over it and Blake didn't have to run away from her anymore, it was cool she moved on and it was all right. It seemed to work, and they were friends again. Such a stupid, stupid mistake.

     Tonight, Yang was alone. The cold air dragging at her as she cut her way through the streets, vibrant bumblebee obeying her sweetly as she navigated out of town. Away from Blake who had ripped out her fucking heart, away from this festival that stole her pride, away from the school that was going nowhere. Off to go home, face her parents without anything left to claim as her own. No talent, no dreams, nothing but the moment, and the moment sucked.

     Bumblebee was moving too fast, well over the limit, or maybe it was the drinking, adding a swerve to her turns, and a dangerous touch to the drive. It was stupid of her, and despite swearing frequently never to drive drunk, Yang felt confident she could make it, but more than that, apathetic if she didn't.

     Slipping into the mountain, the thought of sliding off the cliff was almost funny. It would be a pretty night to disappear, the ocean in sight, the town bright like a carnival, a giant citywide goodbye party for her. Yang giggled at the whim, feeling more alive at the thought than she had all day. It made her cry and that was funny, somehow funny to her drunken mind. A car light was in the distance, its high beams like torches in the depth of darkness.

     An amusing idea came to mind, one that made Yang's heart beat harder. She could make it, drunk, but still Yang. All the reflex practice. She could do it. She could nail it. The light came closer and the game started. How far could they come. Yang waited, staying right on her lane line. The left just a half meter away. The car was coming, it was time for the gambit.

     She turned into the left lane.

     The car didn't have time to react, but Yang did. Swerved to the left, they had to have been within ten meters of each other, a half second from a crash, before Yang swerved left again, smashing as safely as one could smash into the embankment.

     Yang let herself fall off, the drunken state keeping her relaxed as she landed on her shoulder, sliding on the back of her leather rider's jacket, ripping up against the dirt so the girl's tan skin wouldn't have to. The helmet protected her head and the coursing booze dulled the pain, but damn her heart was pounding. Her clothes torn, body on the floor, unable to feel the cuts on her exposed leg and arms, thankful she had slowed down, thankful she had won her stupid gambit, she just died laughing. The car never stopped, rushing away in the panic, but Yang didn't intend to call the cops. She let herself enjoy the moment. That was fun, that was a thrill. What the fuck was wrong with her?

* * *

     Bumblebee was scratched to hell, though mostly undamaged. Still, she wasn't in any state to drive her, for all she knew the crash against the embankment could have caused a fuel leak and starting it could cause some sort of horrible explosion. Either way, when Yang found the strength to stand, her left leg screaming at her for attempting, she began a walk.

     Calling an ambulance was off limits, drunk driving a serious crime and as far as Yang could tell her own injuries weren't that bad. Her jacket was ruined, helmet and exposed legs scratched to shit, trickling lightly of blood, but nothing that couldn't heal in a day. The cold dulled her that night, as she passed the old church, thinking of when Blake and her spent sweet moments together there, the plaza she grew up playing in, the town that at five in the morning was still dead asleep. Sun had not risen yet, and in the cover of darkness Yang could limp her way with Bumblebee for what had to have been an hour before she reached the yard, a familiar stone fence, and silent tower like house. The stairs to her bedroom was going to be a bitch.

     Yang slid Bumblebee, the poor girl beat to hell, right into its little resting place. She didn't lock it up, despite the near death experience sobering her up quite a bit, she was just too tired.

     The short pathway to the door felt like a colossal endeavour, each step revealing a new ache she hadn't noticed yet. Like how thirst worsened with the sight of water, exhaustion deepened with the sight of home.

     As if blessing her, the door opened unlocked, darkness meeting her, not the warm reception home normally was. Or maybe it was. In the dark, on the foyer steps by the door, bundled in a red little cloak, a sweet sleeping child. Ruby. Was she waiting for her sister? Why didn't dad send her to sleep? Did she fight to stay up, make sure Yang came through the door safe? What an idiot, she was so stupid.

     "How could I be so stupid," Yang mumbled. Throwing her life at risk like that. Ruby just lost her mom. What the hell was she thinking? Her baby sister needed her still, right? Someone needed her.

     Yang lowered down, caf near going into full spasm as she squatted to pick up her sister, strong arms sliding under the redhead's much smaller form. The girl fussed a little, but the body wouldn't give, no matter how much Yang struggled. Her legs wouldn't carry them both,

     "You can't lift anyone in that condition," Mama spoke in her perfect whispered Spanish. Yang didn't even think about where she came from, in all these years her mother had the talent of appearing and disappearing into the aether whenever Yang was in, or getting into, trouble.

     "Is that a challenge?" Pulling harder, Ruby wasn't going to budge, "least I get to keep the streak going!"

     "Yang," her mother rumbled.

     "Yeah, my match was pretty brutal," Yang relinquished with a pained laugh, quick to lie. She was never the most honest kid, but what could she say. _Oh mom, yeah I nearly caused a car crash 'cause I felt shitty and needed an adrenaline rush to make me feel like I'm in control of anything in my life!_

     "You don't get cuts like that fighting." Mama didn't call her a liar, though she stepped down with a look that said she knew. They shared so much of each other, same face, same gold hair, same violet eyes. They were mirrors. "You're crying."

     "Pfft, no, that's dumb." Yang started as soon as she saw Ruby at the door. "Look Mama, I just crashed into the embankment on the way. I'm fine."

     "You're drunk?" she asked. She didn't sound mad, probably wasn't, just disappointed as always. Who wouldn't be? Yang wasn't even the top fighter anymore, she was just a vagabond.

     "Not anymore," Yang punctuated with a chuckle.

     "I'll drive you to the hospital. Let me get my keys," she turned away back in the darkness of the house, without saying Yang was grounded, or a shitty kid. Yang was sure she felt it, but not saying that made the rather beat up girl happy to have her as a mom.

     "Please, no. It looks worse than it is. I promise I'm okay. No concussion, nothing, please I just want to sleep. It's been a day," Yang had never been close to her mom, or really anyone, but she trusted her, had to this time, "Please."

     "Mija," _mine_ , Yang was her daughter after all. "Let me bandage you up." Yang nodded, and before she could manage a word, her mother held her, tight. Hugged her like they hadn't in such a long time. Yang missed it.

     "Okay," Yang agreed, for both of them. Mama would be gentle, she would look after the golden girl. When tomorrow came they would talk, no way she could lie to her any more. "But only because I'm the best daughter in the world and you know it." They both laughed. That felt good.

     Vytal was finally over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***(old notes) wowsers, so if this chapter was a little intense for you, this is about as bad as it's ever going to get in Choice, not to say there isn't any drama later, but I think this is probably going to be the most consistently emotionally negative chapter. Of course I do not condone drunk driving under any circumstance, nor anything as physically aggressive as a shove, or slut shaming. These are meant to be explicitly unhealthy behaviors!
> 
> This one was hard to write I think for obvious reasons, but I'm happy to finally get over it. I hope you guys enjoy it even if its not nearly as light hearted as the other chapters. I promise things will get back to light hearted, or at least a mix. Definitely less cursing!
> 
> I want to thank LazyKatze on her return to my team, you have no idea how much I missed you you beautiful person! <333


	13. Really Bloody Good Reason

**Ruby Rose**

     "Anything else you need?" Ruby asked, handing Yang a rather sizable glass of milk. The older sister had made herself comfortable this Sunday morning, kicking her legs up on the basement couch, tossing in a few rounds of Destiny, the newest lazy addition to their collection of expensive distractions. Ruby didn't mind it though, letting Yang hang down in their personal cave. After the accident that Friday night, she couldn't think of doing anything but dote on her all weekend. So rarely was the big sis in trouble, it was time to smother her with affection until she was back and swinging. Certainly bothered her though.

     "You need to just not, please Rubes. I don't want a man-servant, and if I did it would be someone hot in a speedo, not you. Calm down." Yang chuckled, weakly. The accident left her mostly intact, no broken bones, but more than a few bandaged cuts and enough bruises to confuse her with a blonde grape. Still, today wasn't as bad as yesterday, she was so sore Ruby couldn't focus on anything but her. Even if she shouldn't have been. "Aren't you late for your romantic evening of heart ripping?"

     "No, it's in like an hour," Ruby admitted, collapsing on the seat by Yang, watching the screen light up in a blast of blue as the avatar did this earth shattering strike. Somehow in the mess of Saturday, the blonde sister picked up that the avidly texting red one never seemed to send out a single response even when her phone promptly blew up with competing messages from both Penny and Weiss. And of course, Ruby told her everything. "Can I hide here instead?"

     "Nope, you dug your comfy," Yang replied with a cold attitude. Ruby knew she didn't mean it, a quick pat on the back from her solidified that opinion. "As the grand champion of not dealing with shit, tell her."

     "I'm gonna," Ruby groaned. Though which _her_ she was referring was a pretty scary question. "I never want to drink again."

     "Everyone says that after the first time," Yang answered, hands going right back to the controller, not even stopping to brush the messy strands of her unwashed blonde hair from her face. "Rubes, you're going to be fine. Penny is cool, just be nice and she'll understand, both of you were pretty drunk when you talked about it, so my web of spies tell me."

     "You have a spy network watching me now?" Ruby asked with a smile. She flipped out her phone, several texts from Penny, she was so excited. It was time to crush her enthusiasm. 'Penny, I'm still meeting up with you today, as promised, but we need to talk, okay?' Normally her typed etiquette was filled with errors and mistakes, but not this time. This was real talk time.

     "Of course, they have to protect my little baby sister," Yang joked, but it made Ruby feel a little better, though judging from the few texts Ruby had received from Blake, Yang hadn't been talking to anyone. That spy network was either very, very hidden or just her now.

     "Thanks, but are you sure everything's alright?" Ruby had to ask, she knew the answer, but it needed to be done. The blonde one of course flashed her bright, perfect smile, stretched her legs and nodded.

     "Yep, I'm golden," Yang lied with a big old grin. There was no point in pushing any harder, prying into the skull of hers and shifting around for what was really going on. All Ruby could do was reach over and give her a weakly reassuring hug. "Oh get off, I need to kill aliens! No touchy!" she shouted trying to pull herself out. "Go, go get ready for your blood sacrifice! Go!"

     "Fine!" Ruby let up, releasing the girl from her vice grip, "After I get back though, we are playing something co-op. I don't care what so long as it's us kicking ass together!" Just some sisterly duty to Yang.

     "Fine, just don't come home with your harem of women," she joked and Ruby blushed.

* * *

     In little over an hour Ruby gathered her look for today, switching a hoodie for a slightly different plaid red and black jacket over a simple black blouse, nothing too fancy, but not too shabby. The ripped jeans made her bottom and the last accent to her look was an old, red rose crested beanie that just shouted West Oregon to the heavens, thankfully in a language probably no one but her would understand. She wanted to look nice, but not, she didn't really know... datable? This wasn't going to be a date, she needed to make that clear from the get go. This was part of it.

     "You look nice, Ruby," Envida's soft voice came from behind as Ruby lost herself staring at her phone, waiting for dad to drive her into town and Penny to say anything back. Eyes looking back up, Yang's mom looked young again, dressed in a leather jacket and black gloved sleeves. Where had she gone?

     "Thanks, so do you. I kind of have a," not a date, "thing with Penny in town, waiting on dad. What are you out for on a Sunday? Church?" Ruby had never seen anyone in the Long family go to any sort of communion, despite the sound of the church bells calling people in could be heard on every street corner, they stayed. The question made her chuckle, the violet of her eyes soft like Yang's. She really did look like an older carbon copy.

     "No, no, I have not been in church since, eyyy, conformation? Yes, not since then. No, I was getting Yang's bike fixed, and mine." She comfortably answered, pulling out a bag from the store, its contents including black hair dye and medical kit. Odd.

     "I didn't know you had a bike," Ruby commented, looking herself over once more, comfortably placed between good looking and a mess. She had no friggin' clue what she was doing anymore.

     "Yeah, I'll show you it sometime. You ever drive?" Envida asked. She was getting more and more comfortable with Ruby, which made the redhead happy. She never wanted to be a driving spike between the family, and Envida was a kick butt woman, someone Ruby thought she could respect given the chance. This was a good chance.

     "No, I always rode the metro in Portland, the bikes kind of scare me," Ruby admitted embarrassed. Nothing called a crotch rocket would ever comfortably sit between her thighs.

     "I should teach you some—"

     The door swinging open caught both of their attention. Taiyang, Yang and Ruby's mutual father, stepped inside the home from a Sunday business meeting between the Chinese contracted partners and the firm he worked for locally. Apparently there was going to be some reopening of an old development operation in north Nigeria or something. Either way, he came in cheery in his usual suit and tie ready to take Ruby off to meet her maker.

     "Good afternoon, ladies, you are both looking beautiful today, any occasion?" His eyes glanced over Ruby and focused more on his wife, which honestly made a lot of sense. He seemed genuinely curious, though saying she was going on a sort of break up date was really not a great start of the day.

     "Hey dad, did you get my text?" Ruby asked, hoping he would remember on his own, but historically he seemed a bit scatterbrained. Made sense with all the stories Yang and mom told of him, and the phone conversations they had every so often. The raise of his eyebrow suggested she was right on the money.

     "Oh wait, yeah! I have to bring you into town, right? Envida, I will be home in just a bit. Rubes, lets go!" The best thing about dad was his usually boundless energy, with a twirl right after work he was practically dancing his way to the car to drive immediately back from whence he came. Of all the possible fathers to have suddenly entered her life in a big way, he was certainly not a bad choice and with few words Ruby was off.

     The ride into town was comparably uneventful considering all that had happened in the last few days and the festival that had only ended Friday. The drive was mostly soundless, dad singing to himself in a barely audible mumble and Ruby closed off to her own thoughts. Penny had returned her text with a simple, ' _Okay.',_ which wasn't the best sign. She had no idea what this was going to be, but it wasn't a date. Penny was a great girl, funny, sweet, impossible to hate, but not the thing her heart desired. It felt like she was betraying Weiss despite being totally and completely single. How could she really give Penny a happy relationship when she couldn't even spend a day without thinking about a different girl? How was this even a thing? Aside from being with a problematic senior in highschool, Ruby was hardly the heart throb.

     "Where am I dropping you off?" Taiyang finally asked, snapping Ruby back to reality. They were already in the outskirts of the city, a shell of what it was during the festival, many of the decorations still being taken down. It felt oddly sleepy. Sunday was a sleepy day after all.

     "Plaza del Vale, near the school. I'm meeting Penny," Ruby responded, feeling the nervousness build in her sharp as a spear point. Her father twitched it seemed, eyes drifting from the road to his daughter to the road again. He was about to say something stupid.

     "Is this a, uhh, thing?" he asked.

     "No, it's not anything," Ruby replied immediately, "Penny is just a friend." And she was going to make dang sure it stayed that way, for both of them.

     Without much else said, the Sedan navigated the city streets well, up until Plaza del Vale, the main square where everything should be happening, if anything was happening at all. Festival was over, most people were still recovering or with family, for once this spot was clear of most of the traffic that packed it. It would be almost creepy if it wasn't for the still open cafes and their scattered patreons as well as the lazy Sunday sun.

     "Drop me off here please." Ruby requested as the car turned gently into the the divide between the road and the plaza. Stepping outside, Ruby felt the cool autumn air combat the bright sunshine on her face. The air smelt clean, the gunpowder taint finally vanished from the city streets alone with the heavy smoky scent of burnt paper. It was a good day to rip someone's heart out.

     "Call me when you need a pick up, don't know if Yang's bike can handle two people at the moment," dad joked with a smile. Ruby nearly missed it and returned just a nod before shutting the car door. Penny was there somewhere, a Yorkshire girl hiding between the statues and waterfalls that dotted the plaza by Beacon. Ruby walked alone towards the center piece, the knight and wolf statue, part of the story of Vale that no one had bothered to tell her. One city made of the remnants of four towns, sounding like the setting of a great novel back when the statues of knights and wolves were first being made.

     "Hi Ruby." Penny. She had been soundless walking up to Ruby from behind. It would have frightened anyone if she didn't have the friendliest voice in the world, sounded like helpfulness if helpfulness was a real sound. Still scared the shit out of Ruby, but that was more because it was Penny, dressed in a green and white long dress to combat the autumn air slightly, a nice matching green bow in her hair and, for the first time that Ruby could ever remember, with makeup on. Just a hint, and judging from the richness of the red on her lips or color on her cheeks, this was Nora's work. _She really tried hard for you._

     "Hi Penny," being so shabbily dressed in a black red color scheme complete with a stupid beanie suddenly made her feel self conscious, "You look really nice." Her voice was shaking, awkwardly. Even if it wasn't the right girl, seeing someone dress up for her was weird, nice, but weird. Being out of the dating game since Cinder really wasn't helping her charm. _This is going to be brutal._

     "Thank you, Ruby!" Penny replied with a twirl, showing off the good work she had done, "Nora helped me out with everything I will admit, she's incredible. Never expected it from a tomboy like her. Still the dress is a little thin, I wanted a jacket, but Nora doesn't get cold." Penny looked so happy, proud even. That was not making this easier. "You look good, too, the beanie is, uh, it really suits you, it's uh, really cute." Her voice hitched at the end, her smile turning bright.

     She must have noticed Ruby frown, because that smile didn't last.

     "Penny, I need to talk to you first. I wanted to do it in person, and I really wanted to still make sure I showed up, because Penny I really respect you and," the ginger with her green eyes darted down to the floor and without a complaint she gripped the frays in her dress. _Shit._ "And I think you are an amazing person, really the best friend I could ever have, and I am such and idiot, I really drank too much, not saying someone needs to be drunk to say yes to you, I just, I didn't—"

     "Yeah, I get it," Penny cut her off in a painfully quiet hush, "I sort of figured with the text. That's why my masquerade is, well, it's not on, I already figured it out and cleaned myself up, Ruby. I just figured, uh, I should give it a shot first, but yeah, I get it. You don't have to say it." Penny spoke clearly despite looking like she wanted to cry. She had a strong level of composure, but she couldn't hide a sniffle here or there, each one made Ruby feel like the worst criminal.

     "I'm so sorry, Penny," Ruby tried to get across.

     "Don't be, I picked a shitty time to ask," Penny laughed, wiping a fresh tear from her face, "I just needed a drink before I could tell you. Nora, she's a good matie, she kept pushing me and I just thought... I don't know, I wasn't thinking clearly. I shouldn't have said anything." Ruby almost wished Penny didn't take it so well, somehow it made her feel more like a villian. Least if she made a scene Ruby could feel embarrassed, not evil.

     "No, I don't believe any of that kind of stuff should be left unsaid. Penny, I really like that you like me that much," and she did. In another world she would have given it the shot it deserved. Who wouldn't be lucky to have Penny? Hell, Ruby was fairly certain she would regret turning away an amazing girl for a crush who wouldn't even text her back all today. "Penny, I just—"

     "You like Weiss. I figured. I wasn't even going to try, but I knew I would regret it," Penny took a sharp breath, admitting it for Ruby. Thankfully for both of them, today was a lazy day, they had no eyes on them. "Can I just have today? Please?" Penny looked up at Ruby for the first time since this whole discussion really started, the green ring of her iris complimented its red tint from the hand full of tears that were rubbed away before they fell.

     "It would be a waste with you dressed up so nice," Ruby excused them, feeling guilty enough as is, "Penny you are and will always be my first friend here, and my best friend, I would be honored to spend today with such a cool girl." Ruby tried her best to find an in between, a middle ground. It wouldn't be what the ginger would have hoped, but maybe it might not be a nightmare for her.

    "Alright," Penny answered with a sniffle, grasping Ruby's hands. They matched in size, but the girl in green's palms felt cold as they trembled, "let's go find somewhere to eat and talk about practically anything else, please."

     Their not-date date went well from there, as well as it could go. They ate at a fairly cheap little corner restaurant bar, mostly overstuffing themselves on appetizers like croquettes and assorted tapas as they had several times before. They stayed way past their welcome, irritating the waiting staff with inappropriate application of straws to generate Rubeh the Walrus, and several food based messes Penny described as "building a time machine", which really turned out to be accurate given how childish it made both of them look. In no time they became aware of why they were friends to begin with and much of the unpleasantness took the form of a rather quiet elephant in the room, exactly where they wanted it.

     From there they departed on the longest walk through town either of them could remember. El Vale had nothing like an arcade you might find in Portland, but it had plenty of street shops that turned downtown into one big mall. They traipsed through different fashion stores, looking at stuff neither of them could afford, including a punk store that Ruby would absolutely need to come back to whenever she managed to blackmail her family into giving her a small fortune.

     A few places were cheaper, more touristy shops selling Spanish trinkets not even from the region. Gold and black steel plates that were actually from Toledo, fans from Sevilla, dresses from Barcelona, stuff that would have fooled her a few months ago, but now made them both laugh with their superior cultural knowledge.

     Except for the hand fans. They bought a matching pair, both with the same ripple wave design, one red and black the other green and white. They looked cool, and ignoring the autumn weather they were perfectly serviceable fans.

     Eventually, as the sun lowered, pre-dusk, twilight, they were walking on the other side of the river, past Plaza del Vacuo. They had no idea exactly where it was, but the houses were growing more separate, the roads grew thinner, and here at the river bank they walked hand in hand, platonically, towards the next bridge. Green on one side of the bank, white and tan houses to the other.

     "And so my da, he turns to my other father, James, he says, 'you hid our daughter, didn't you?' Now I'm still hiding in the cupboard, laying there thinking, 'I am about to cause my parents to divorce.' At that point I was sure as hell not moving, but you know what my da says stone faced? Flips it all onto father about him not trusting him, about never checking my room. The bloody bastard sells it perfect. Father goes off to search in the garage and my da, he takes me out of the cupboard, rushes me, a ten year old, I was not tiny mind you, I stopped growing at twelve, and tosses me into my bed and shouts, 'James you daft idiot, she was in her bed, are you blind?!' I get off free from breaking the dishes and me and da have never told him since. It's been years now and da is still givin' father hell for it for no other reason than to watch me just crack."

     The story ended in a good bit of laughter for both of them, the usual question game leading to family stories lead to them getting to know each other more. Little facts like that Penny was adopted by two of the sweetest and most hellraising men of north England and Ruby had been to both South America and Africa following her mom's work when she was little. There was so much to learn about a person. It was a game that never lost its fun.

     "Well, when I asked for your favorite childhood memory, I didn't think it would be so vivid," Ruby commented, enjoying it despite being unexpected. Penny sure loved her family from the way she talked about them.

     "My childhood wasn't super eventful, but when it was, I'm sure to remember," Penny joked, slowing her steps as they entered a mini-park by the riverbed, a little lookout with benches and river access. "My turn?" she asked, knowing the answer.

     "Of course," Ruby replied, slowing her pace to match Penny's.

     "Well, let's sit, I think," Penny suggested. Pulling her hand from Ruby's and finding a seat by the farthest bench. Comfy little spot, a lucky break for them to find it so empty. "You're not going to like it though, please don't be mad." So they were addressing the elephant in the room again. Day was slowly coming to an end, of course it had to be now.

     "Yeah." Ruby prepared to face whatever came, choosing to sit next to Penny, her butt placed comfortably on the wooden seat.

     "Why Weiss instead of me?" Penny asked, her voice clear and gentle despite the harshness of the question, "I know it's not like you chose, but Ruby I believe I could make you happy. She's mean to you and so demanding and pushy…I like you just as you are, I don't want to change you. I want to be with you and I think I could make you happier if you just gave me a chance." There was a silence, one Penny didn't feel the need to fill while Ruby mulled over the answer, sticking a bit of truth she never considered.

     "That's the thing. I don't like me as I am." It was easier to see than she thought, maybe because of exactly how true it was, but everything from her fear, her indecision, how much missing mom haunted her despite her burying it over so much bullshit she pretended like it wasn't there. Ruby mostly hated the person she was right now. "I want to be the Ruby she pushes me to be." Weiss believed in a different Ruby, the one she wanted to be, a writer, confident, over mom, over her doubts. Penny, she didn't demand anything of Ruby, a beautiful trait in a person, but not the trait she needed right now. "Penny, you're amazing… I'm so sorry."

     "Stop it, you'll make me cry again," Penny called out, holding her face in dismay, "We're still friends right?" she asked meekly.

     "Best friends, always," Ruby answered with a hug. Like a branch snapping, both of them started to cry into one another. "Even when we're old and crusty, and, and you're dating a supermodel and I'm a, I'm a crazy cat lady regretting how I didn't go after you that autumn when I...I tricked you into thinking I'm good enough...even then I'll be signing my letters from the old folks home with 'Your Best Friend...and her twenty cats.'" Both of them chuckled between their sobs, Ruby's word vomit worth something for once.

     "Shut it, you're alway good enough," Penny let out into Ruby's shoulder.

     "You shut up, you deserve only the best."

     Nothing was said for a while, they just held each other till the sniffles died down, the composure was reset and both of them cried it all out. Penny her feelings of loss, Ruby's of quilt. Everything was clean again, everything was going to be okay. They pulled apart, and Penny's ginger face with its cute freckles was clear and beautiful as ever.

     "Well best friend," she finally said with a cheery Penny smile, "you need to go now, Weiss was extremely angry at me this morning. We both know why. You're going to go ask her out right now."

     "Penny, I can't—"

     "Ruby," Penny went flat, serious, her emerald eyes demanding Ruby's attention, "I need you to leave me alone so I can get over you, gutted as I am, and you need, I repeat _need_ , to make something of turning me down."

     "What if she sa—" Penny shut Ruby down with a lurch forward. Their lips met, only for a brief second. It was nice, unexpected, short, not who she wanted, but not terrible. Certainly shocked her. "That is the only kiss we'll ever have, make sure there is a really bloody good reason for that. Now get a taxi and get to Beacon."

* * *

     Spending the last bit of Vytal festival cash on a taxi ride from one side of the river to the other was not exactly Ruby's initial day plan. Even more so considering the struggle with the elderly man, who, understandably so, spoke not a drop of English. Several pantomiming games later, that would have been drastically shortened if anyone mentioned Beacon used to be called something different, he brought her to the massive structure that was their school. The elderly driver didn't charge her for the time she wasted being Spanish deficient, but Ruby snuck him a few more Euros on top, thankful for his patience.

     And that was all on top of a sense of impending doom.

     Ruby had not intended to tell Weiss today, certainly not dressed literally as "okay" as she could have managed. Not right after dealing with the Penny crisis, not right after Yang got herself beat up. She wasn't ready. Telling Penny she liked Weiss' pushing her certainly backfired. She wasn't ready. Weiss wasn't even texting her back all weekend. She wasn't ready. When would she be? She wasn't ready when mom died, but it happened anyway. Things sometimes had to just happen. Ruby had to let herself happen.

_Don't run away,_ Ruby delivered as a mantra to herself walking the busy campus, dorm students all running about, _don't run away._ Her usual path seemed to take longer now, the stairwell up had twice as many steps, the hallway twice the distance, her heartbeat twice the pace. The only way this was happening is if she did it now, didn't look back or think about it, just charged in and figured it out later. Literally she needed to channel Yang like a ghost into her body. Friggin' hell, how much she would pay her to do this for her.

     "Ruby," Blake's voice caught the redhead at the foreign student program entrance. It sounded quiet and weak, but felt like someone just lassoed her by the neck and dragged her back.

     "Blake, I gotta find Weiss. Have you seen her? It's important," Ruby counted back, trying to get past her and slide over to the single king's room Weiss stayed in. The dorm was full of life, Pyrrha talking to Jaune in their own couch corner, Velvet studying by herself, Nora, of course Nora, bouncing up and down seeing the redhead come into the dorm.

     "Yeah, she's in her room, her and Penny had a fight this morning. Not sure what about, but Penny seemed a little shocked," Blake explained, following Ruby towards the door, "Have you spoken to Yang? Did she make it home safe? No one's heard from her." That was odd. Ruby expected Yang would be telling everyone the story of how she ate shit on the mountain road. Still, it was a distraction, Ruby needed to focus before being completely paralyzed by self doubt and—

     "Ruby, how did it go?! Tell me all the deets, I need to know!" Nora, Ruby did not need Nora right now, that excited look on her face. One heart crushed was enough for today. A follow up was not welcome.

     "Nora, I need you to call Penny, ASAP, she needs you 'kay?" Ruby answered with some orders. It was honest, Penny could use the other member of their redheaded trio.

     "Oh," Nora replied, twisting her expression into a pained one, "I see. Welp, Nora is on the case captain!" She snapped to a salute, her excitement barely dampened. How did anyone keep that up? Ruby was really freaking impressed if anything.

     "Ruby, please just tell me Yang's alright. I'll leave you be after that," Blake butt in worried, but driving Ruby mad. Why is it right when she's trying to confess everyone needed her? She was never this popular, god dang.

     "Yeah, she's a little beat up, but fine. She was playing video games when I lef—"

     Weiss' dorm door slammed open, straight bouncing against the back wall when the silver girl flung it ajar. Her eyes were red as Ruby ever saw, make up non-existent and hair loose, pretty despite being uncombed and disheveled. She looked cute in a horrible this-person-has-clearly-been-crying-or-sleeping-or-both kind of way.

     "I think it's great that the three of you are being buddy-buddy today. Make friends, have a nice chat, that's really awesome, but could you kindly, take it the fuck. Off. My. Doorstep!" This was a terrible time to do this, and Ruby was going to do it anyways.

     "Weiss, we need to talk, can I come in?" She was prepared to do this. Well, not so much prepared as resigned to her fate. Still didn't mean Ruby didn't want as few people as possible watching.

     "Hell no," Weiss shot back, slamming her door shut. _Alright_ , Ruby thought to herself, _time for a new plan_.

     "Bitch," Blake mumbled.

     "No, just sensitive," Ruby countered, feeling defensive. After all, who knew exactly how much she may have screwed up already. "Weiss. Please let me in, I just wanna talk to you about something important. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Penny. I didn't have anything to tell. I wasn't thinking about her when I said yes."

     "I'm not touching this," Blake commented, likely misconstruing the drama. Ruby really didn't care at this point. The lock behind the door snapped back, the gate to Weiss' room opened ever so slightly, the Weiss inside an angry one, eyes like sapphire muzzles aimed and ready to fire.

     "Do not make me regret this, Ruby," she threatened and stepped to the side to allow the young American into her domain. The room was a mess actually, much of the usual clean stacks of papers thrown aside, the private box on her bed, but still sealed shut. Music was playing too, something German, but Ruby thought it sounded certainly moody as the female singer called out painfully with a dissonant guitar playing just as harsh. Weiss was really into _everything_ music.

     "Weiss, I want to say sorry," Ruby began immediately once the door shut, "I wasn't keeping anything with Penny a secret behind your back. I was drunk and I was thinking about something else when she asked me. I didn't even know. Weiss, I really wasn't trying to keep anything secret from you, I promise." Weiss looked at the girl who crushed on her so hard she couldn't even get it with such incredulous eyes, like road signs flashing 'Ruby, you are an idiot' in a beautiful blue light.

     "Ruby, that's not why I'm mad, everyone has their secrets." _Not from you_ , Ruby thought, but did not interrupt. "You can't possibly not get it, your grades are too good for you to be this dumb. I'm certain a freshly hit deer could catch on." _Oh god,_ Ruby thought, staring at her opposite, a marble cast girl who was saying all the things that meant Penny was right. This was exciting and terrifying mixed in a cocktail of potential victory and disaster. "And knowing you are not about as dull as an unusually animate piece of cauliflower, what you did hurts like a bitch."

_Oh god,_ Ruby's mind kept going on, _this is it, this is the moment._ Her tongue was dry, felt like it was covered in fuzz and sand, she couldn't breath. Her heart was pounding like left over water glasses on a Jurassic Park set. She could feel her stomach drop below the Earth's crust, swimming right past the mantel into the 'oh shit' zone where gravity couldn't explain its trajectory anymore. _Do it,_ she could hear Penny shout in her mind, _don't you rip my heart out for nothing._

     "Weiss will you be my girlfriend?"

     "What? No!"

     Ruby almost threw up right there, felt light she had turned around and swallowed a fist full of sand then let the Punch Out version of Mike Tyson do rabbit strikes to her abs. The fuck happened? "Ruby, you literally had a date with another girl, what? Half an hour ago?" Weiss stared at her possible partner, crossed her arms in defense, and with words shot Ruby to death.

     "No, no, no! It was you who I was thinking of when I got asked out, I was so plastered I thought it was you! Today wasn't a date, first thing I told her was, 'I am not going on a date with you. We can hang out as friends, but I like Weiss Schnee. She's the person I have a crush on.' You!" Weiss remained steady, arms crossed and angry, but that had her blushing. Ruby wasn't any different of course, she was near in tears wanting to cry from embarrassment, but this deep in the hole all one could do was friggin shovel like crazy.

     "Not enough to ask me on a date, clearly!" Weiss shot back, turning her cheek away, that unpeckable chin pointed up in distaste, scar staring back at Ruby, even more red with the blush. She was so gorgeous.

     "No, that's not true! Tomorrow, it's Vytal weekend, we have no class, will you go out on a date with me!?" Ruby begged, angrily at this point, frustrated with herself, frustrated with the confusion, frustrated for being so embarrassed. Just frustration incarnate.

     "Fine!" Weiss shouted back with matching indignation.

     "Wait, really?" Ruby's heart was going to give out, these games were killing her.

     "Yeah," Weiss replied, softened eyes looking at everything but Ruby, yet she kept her stance and composure, "I like you, too. You clearly haven't noticed, but I've tried asking you out like, three times now. You keep. Inviting. Penny." _Oh god, I've died and gone to an alternate dimension. I'm going to turn around and Nixon's going to be the current president of the People's Republic of America._

     "To be fair, she invites herself," Ruby spoke in a daze, her mind had not fully caught up to the events. Things were beginning to slow down. That pounding heartbeat died down to an irregular, but gentler, one.

     "And if she does it again, we are done." Weiss shook her head, the silver little lines of hair covering an exhausted face. She worked so hard, such a beautiful person. How was this even a thing? "You are so dumb."

     "You're not wrong," Ruby joked with a laugh, she could feel a bubbling happy feeling deep in her. If she started to laugh, she was afraid she would never stop again. This was the greatest day she could remember. _Holy shit_ , Ruby realized as her mind finally caught up, _this is real._

     "Well, don't be, you're better than that. Tomorrow at five, be here and do not be fashionably late," Weiss declared with a real honest to goodness smile. It was picture perfect, could light ice aflame, certainly melted Ruby right here in the moment even as she stepped towards the door. "Now get out of my room."

     Ruby damn near skipped over to the door, she sure as hell was going to be dancing down the halls. The look on Yang's face when she told her this was what ended up happening. The look on anyone's face. That didn't even really matter, not with that look on Weiss' adorable little face. "No problem. So, uh," Ruby could feel her face scorch off as she began to ask the big question, "are we girlfriends or?"

     "Ruby," Weiss began with a shake of her head and a very tired smile, "We will see how you do tomorrow." Propping the door open, the others outside snapped back, she knew they would be. Didn't matter. Anyone who knew Ruby would have guessed with that goofy look plastered on her face. "Oh and the beanie, cliché, but cute. Now get out."

* * *

**Raven Branwen**

     The dye was finished, dried, thick. Transforming the body always had a transforming effect on the person, Raven noticed. A little bit of dye, a pair of silly contacts, a touch of makeup, the right clothes, all of it created the person. Replaced Envida with Raven Branwen, a mythic Celtic story. Few knew that her people the Galicians of Spain were Celts as well. She always loved the stories. Loved them more than the name Envida. Envy, suppose to be the envy of the world, now it was just a stigma tied to a woman whose husband had made poor decisions. Didn't matter, nothing defined her and her set of characteristics better than the individual. Even if it was a game for now. It empowered her, let her build her own persona, one she wanted to bring back for now. It was the right time, right place. Now looking in the mirror, she saw that new self, a little older than the last time she saw it, but there, dressed in black leather and thick jeans.

     "Love, you don't need to do this, at least not alone. I can talk to Ruby, we can go as a family. I'll get off time from work." Taiyang wasn't a bad man. Quite the opposite. He was kind, he cared, he loved. All things more valuable than the good paycheck he provided. After all, Raven could provide for herself, it was the quality of person that had any real value to him.

     "Taiyang," she answered him, turning around to look into his sad eyes. He meant well. "Ruby is just barely getting herself settled, she needs the opposite of what Yang needs right now, and she needs her dad to support her." Ruby was Taiyang's biggest regret. It sounded horrible, and Raven would never tell her that, but it was a guilt he cared for so long, longer than it ever mattered to Raven. She forgave him after he confessed in the first place, confessed without Raven ever even suspecting it. Confessing because he owed her honesty, not because he was going to be outed. Still he carried around a sense of failure as a husband. "You love your daughter, both of yours, and I respect that so much, but you need to be there for Ruby, because you are all she has." Ruby wasn't the mistake, and Taiyang was so filled with love for her, as he should, regardless of his guilt. "Just like I need to be there for Yang. Both of them need us, that's why there are two of us, huh?" she joked, kissing him lightly. He embraced her. Warm man he was. Good man.

     "You sure about this?"

     "I am. Yang's like me, she needs this even if she doesn't know it." He was already missing her.

     "What about work?"

     "I work from home mostly anyway. I'm bringing the laptop." He didn't care about work, he just wanted his family whole. They would be soon, but only after things mended.

     "You look really hot, you know that?" He joked while he cried slightly in her shoulder. A sweet man.

     "Damn right I do."

     Final goodbyes were easier, after all they weren't really final. This run away seemed like a forever thing, but retreats like this were only temporary. They would be back soon, maybe a week, maybe a month. As long as it took.

     By the time Raven made it to the foyer, Yang was already waiting there for her. She wore her beige and brown jacket with the little yellow accents, perfect for the road. Most people thought the leather look was about being tough, honestly it was more to protect their skin if they ever took a fall off the bike. Function and fashion were the best ways to go.

     "Wow, mama," Yang mumbled, eyes wide, looking over Raven with a detailed stare, "when did you start doing the super hot dark sorceress thing? Damn, now I know why dad married you. How could he not?" Yang was oblivious of the fact that she was the shining beauty of the two of them, a golden sun made into a woman. She looked like her when she was young, except improved in every way. Stronger too, more independent than she was at her age. Smarter too in her own way, different than the girls who got better grades, but just as directionless as Raven. That was something everyone had to find themselves, but this, this would help

     "Thanks. Felt like reinventing me, if that makes sense?"

     "Yeah," Yang answered awkwardly, showing a bit of her own insecurity, "I'm not so good at being anyone but me."

     "Aren't all versions of a person all that person still?" Raven chuckled at herself, knowing how similar her and her daughter were, "We're going to have a lot of these talks. I hope you're packed."

     "Yeah," Yang answered with her duffle bag, "Dad helped me. Said goodbye, you sure we can't wait for Rubes?" That was the hold up Raven was afraid of. It was good how important her sister was to her, but this needed to be about her. Things needed to change.

     "No, I'm sorry. You can text her when we reach Lugo," Raven answered, stepping into the garage. Bumblebee awaited them, repaired, though the paint was still cut up. She was a good bike. Yang was smart to ask for advice when they picked it out. That girl was going to last them a while, "I know it seems unfair, but I know you. If you see Ruby, leaving will be twice as hard." Then there was her prize, back and fixed up from storage. White black and red bike with a high quality traditional asian painted style decals on the side.

     "She needs me mama," Yang begged, holding her arm tight to her body. Part of the deal for not telling Taiyang about the drunk driving was being more honest with her, something uncomfortable for someone so independent.

     "She does, but you need to be there for you first. If not, you won't be able to help Ruby in the long term. We will be back," Raven answered, opening the garage and sliding the last of her stuff on her trusty metal steed.

     "When will that be?" Yang ask, hopping on Bumblebee with her helmet of course. The scratch marks were still on it, but it was a proven necessity. Of course there was also Raven's helmet. The one Yang had loved to play with since she was a little girl, its white design overly complex and red paint lines may have seemed silly, but it was part of this persona. Putting it on, the look fully complete, she was taken back to when she ran away, directionless. With a roar their journey would begin.

     "As long as it takes," Raven called out over her engine. They could take all the time in the world, running away all over Europe. Give Yang some time, some distance, some adventure. She could figure her life out and come back again. It was a retreat, not giving up. This time she would have a mother to guide her along the way for as long as it took.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heres to the first release at the same time as archive! Welp I always hated love triangles that get into trouble because of miscommunication because no one just explains what happened,figured my revenge was to make everyone resolve said miscommunication, by you know, communicating.
> 
> The time machine thing is actually a real joke one of my friends does when she plans on giving a big tip, she pours as much shit as she can grab on the table onto her plate at once and starts mixing it up as much as possible waiting for someone to ask "What are you doing?" to which she stares them right in the eye and shouts "I'm building a time machine!"
> 
> Hope you all enjoy the chapter, let me know what you think, and thank you so much Lazykatze for her beautiful edits. Shes not on archive but find her on FF. net, she is the best friend anyone could have!


	14. Criminally Close

**Ruby Rose**

     Yang was gone. Opening her eyes, Ruby was made aware of it as the low light of late morning hit her, bright orange and yellow as it rippled off the ocean and into her room. It was waking up in silence that struck home. Yang always got her up, she was like mom that way. Waking up, still cocooned in blankets and sheets, meant no one came for her. Ruby was alone.

     She learned as soon as she came home the night before of course. Her and her mother had left on a trip somewhere, left them in their dust and vanished. Still it just left Ruby restless, never really bothered the girl till now. Maybe she thought they would come back? Ruby didn't even know why they had left, how could she guess when they would return, or if? After all, the track record for keeping family around wasn't exactly high. All left.

     It was a day off, there was no rush. Ruby didn't drag herself out of the swaying hammock bed for the nothingness. TV was off, same with the games, couch just as was before, a backpack resting there just where she placed it. The punching bag remained still, unmolested by strikes. Over one night of Yanglessness Ruby felt like everything was coated in thick dust, left to rot, including her. Eventually, despite her outrageously emo mood, the silence forced her out.

     Crawling from the hammock, Ruby was quick to check her phone, make sure time hadn't stopped for her and years sped by. No, it was just twelve with four messages. One from Penny, about how happy she was to have a good night out. One from Nora about how Penny was really doing; crying a lot, but laughing too. She was going to be okay, and that relieved some guilt. Last two were from Weiss, and for the first time in ever, Ruby wished it was someone else, wished it was Yang.

     'Ruby, I think you fell asleep on me last night. That's understandable, considering. Have a good night.' The first read formally, but rather sweetly. She had kept her company all night on Skype, though they messaged long about nothing of importance or significance. Ruby had dozed off somewhere there. The next was from ten A.M. Weiss' morning hour. 'Ruby, are you awake? It's a little late. Considered calling you, but I don't have patience for groggy people. And, well, I don't know how late you stayed up. Hopefully only 2, since that's when you skyped me last. Better be. Joking, of course. Text me.'

     Ruby paused, not really feeling up to it. She wanted company, but more like she wanted family. She was suppose to share the big 'I got Weiss' moment with someone. Mom was out, Yang dodged. Dad, well he was never exactly... he was never them. Worst off was knowing she was being a baby about all this.

     'Yeah its me. I just got up. I'm getting ready for everything talk to you later.' Ruby replied. It wasn't perfect grammar, but Ruby noticed her grumpy mood showed up in her punctuation. "Don't take it out on her," she scolded herself. There was five hours between now and then to get herself together. Ruby shook her head to get out all the bull. After all, she had a date.

     Taking a second, she gathered the required clothes. Simple comfort was the key, all desire to focus on looks sucked out of her last night. A red beanie with a black rose emblem to hide her bed head, jeans were dark, simple, and looked nice enough. One of her many graphic tee band shirts acted as the top. Last straggler of this completed and disheveled outfit was a red and black flannel jacket. Only once she slid it over herself did Ruby notice the looseness on the sleeves and chest. It was Yang's shirt. Ruby was content to keep it, roll up the sleeves, and feel a bit warmer.

     Clean enough, she settled with a short washing of the face. What little makeup she intended to wear would go on before she headed out. There was a redness to her grey eyes, a droopy tired expression permanently plastered to her. Ruby did not think herself exactly pretty.

     With nothing but time, Ruby climbed her stairs. Neither Yang, nor Envida awaited her at the top. Instead, the foyer was empty, her sneakers sitting alone next to her father's work shoes. The living room was brightened by the light of a TV and the sounds of some excited Spanish gentlemen. In front of which, nursing a sandwich and beer combo, Taiyang watched with a rather dead expression.

     "Whatcha watching?" Ruby asked, realizing the answer before he even said it.

     "Soccer." The game was fairly familiar to the redhead, though it had been years since she touched a ball.

     "You like soccer?" Ruby asked. Taiyang shook his head and patted the seat next to him, a signal for Ruby to join. She did of course, flopping down on the couch cushion next to her father. It was kind of strange, but nice, considering how little time they had ever spent together. There wasn't a moment like this in the eighteen years of her life, even if it was under a veneer of sadness.

     "I used to hate it actually," Taiyang answered with a slight chuckle, he had Yang's smile between his bits of scruff, "always worried Yang would get into it since she was a tomboy. I'd have to go to a bunch of games I never wanted to be at, and I would without complaint, but I wouldn't have enjoyed it. But instead, kickboxing." It wasn't hard to picture, Yang was a tough kid. Sure, Ruby was hyper, but Yang, Yang was going to get into something deep. Soccer likely was just too wimpy in her opinion. "You know, I used to like boxing?" their father added, giving Ruby a quick glance and nod, "Watching your kid come home bruised to hell changes that opinion real damn quick, still, I never told her to stop, I wanted her to have it, you know? Something. So I watch Soccer instead. You into any sports as a kid, Rubes? I feel like I should know that. I'm sorry." He sounded guilty, Ruby didn't like that. He wasn't gonna like the answer either.

     "I, uh, I played a little soccer in middle school." Taiyang broke out into a nice fit of laughter. It was infectious, carving a smile into Ruby's face no matter how much gloom she built up.

     "Of course you did, just my luck," her father finally managed to say between his hearty bellows. "I wish I had taken the effort to go to your games." He kept his smile, but his laughter ended.

     "I lived in another hemisphere," Ruby argued, thankful for laugh. She rather he stay like that, "I certainly didn't expect my performance to draw international audiences!"

     "Could have tried," he mumbled, defeating himself.

     "It's fine, I sucked anyways. Fast, but so clumsy," Ruby cut in with a high note, remembering all the games and practices she had gone to, landing face first in the dirt, the only one daring to cheer her on was of course her tough as iron mother and Yang during the summers, shouting nonsense cheers in Spanish. "These hands were made for writtin', not..." Ruby became immediately aware of her stupidity.

     "You don't use your hands in soccer, sweety."

     "Yeah, I kinda put that together." They both chuckled. That was good, real good. "So dad, I kind of, well I have a date today." Air froze for a second. Taiyang's expression unchanged, it looked like the thought literally made him lag.

     "Well, that's great!" he settled on, leaning back into the couch eyes wide in pleasant surprise like the five seconds of silence between totally didn't happen. "I'm guessing you need a ride sinc..." _Yang's gone._

     "Yeah." Ruby brushed the hair from her face feeling both sad and horribly embarrassed. She had known mom since the day she escaped the uterus and talking to her about Cinder felt near impossible, well partially because Summer hated her, but it was still difficult. _Hey dad, we've known each other for a few months now and about a week's worth of time in phone calls, let's talk about who I'm sexing up._

     "Absolutely, I took today off to," _deal with our family falling apart,_ "Anyways I took it off, sure." Taiyang looked to his daughter with some awkward semblance of pride. Clearly he was at least happy for her. "Just you got to invite your girlfriend over for dinner next time?"

     "Yeah!" _No._

* * *

     "Hey! I'm here!" Five P.M. sharp, or as the clocks more accurately depicted, seventeen sharp. Ruby had actually waited the extra fifteen minutes from when she arrived to be perfectly on the dot. This also gave her a moment to nab some lab work from Penny that Ruby had simply not been mentally there enough to do and finally explain to Blake that Yang was off to somewhere with her mom. The shadow cast across her face and Blake barely let out an okay when spoken to, Ruby knew she was driving herself mad with it. No one ever told her what happened between them anyways. Still, all that was irrelevant. Right now, Ruby had to keep from fucking up the one thing going as planned in her life. Weiss Schnee.

     "Wow, you actually came." Weiss wasn't dressed for a date, least not to the standards she set for herself, dressed only in a sleeveless shirt and some shorts. Leisure wear. _Wait, she doubted me?!_

     "I promised I would be here at five for our date! I am here and I am queer, ready to go captain!" The ready to go part wasn't so true. Ruby was still a mess inside. Time with dad was nice, but ill prepared her for the drive, the drive Yang always took her on. She cried a little on the trip, ruining the bit of eyeshadow she applied. Penny's sink saved her from a lightly violet colored mess, but now Ruby looked more plain than on an average school day. _Not really going for the gold here, Ruby._

     "I thought with what happened," Weiss flashed between serious, happy, to serious again. Ruby must have impressed her a little, win win. "I just thought you'd want to stay home with your dad. You haven't said much on Skype or... I'm just _surprised_." Heck of a lot better than disappointed.

     "Weiss, I'm not exactly the greatest girl on the planet, but I know people have let you down before and I wanna show you a new side of me, a side you can believe in and trust and know that I care and won't let you down," Ruby admitted in what was one of her traditional run on sentences. Didn't matter that she felt like shit, Weiss did too when Emerald would bail on her. She had a lot to prove, and she was going to prove it no matter how sloppy she looked doing it.

     Weiss smirked at this, still standing in the doorway of her room as others watched and pretended not to be eavesdropping. "Well then, where did you intend to take me? I assume you've set up reservations?" Ruby couldn't tell if she was serious, which was a bad sign.

     "No, I didn't," Ruby felt dumb. Of course Weiss would expect things of that fine a nature. She was rich, went to a wealthy school. The way she talked about her childhood people were constantly enamoured by her, which Ruby totally got, but they were wealthy. Date to her meant five star restaurant on the bay. To Ruby, it was a slightly rotting Applebee's or whatever the land of Spain offered on its family friendly bland but not deadly line of of restaurants. "I thought it would be better to... I don't know what I was thinking, I'm sorry."

     "Ruby," Weiss whispered, "I can tell you've been crying. I don't care about any of that, It's not what I _thought_ we'd be doing, but I think ordering something and watching a movie is acceptable when you're clearly not in the right place. You don't need to front the tough girl act, I see cracks." This time she was serious, eyes heated blue despite the soft murmur of her voice.

     "I do mean it, it's just been weird. I'm sorry." Weiss grasped the fabric of Ruby's flannel overshirt and pulled her gently in the room, walking backwards as she pulled to maintain the space between them, much to the younger's disappointment. Still, the pull made her jump.

     "Close the door," Weiss requested as she sauntered barefoot to her chair, the computer lighting up bright shades of azure as she stroked a key. There were waves on the screen, a song had been in the making before she came in, "This is why I think pizza and a movie works. I need a break from this electronic piece. I can't get the feel right and I want to cut someone's throat open for it. What do you want on the pizza? I prefer spinach feta with roasted tomato, I assume you have different taste?"

     "Cheese with extra sauce please," Ruby replied, ignoring the slight burn on her taste in food, "but make sure it's for cash, I'm paying for it tonight!" Weiss was caught in the moment, frozen by what Ruby had said and she meant it. Sure, their average incomes were probably several orders of magnitude different, but she was not going to be Emerald. Never ever be like Emerald.

     "Good, I didn't intend to pay for you anyways, no freeloading!" Weiss mimicked vitriol, but her face had a gorgeous dumb smile. She could tell Ruby remembered the stories she confessed, and evidently loved that.

     "Of course, we got to fend for ourselves like wolves," Ruby joked as she sat without asking on her _date's_ , god it was strange to think that, but her bed. A wave of sleepy exhaustion hit her, emotional wear heavy and this place relieving. The instruments felt like friends, the sound of Weiss clicking away silently became a nursery rhyme rocking her to sleep. So happy to be there Ruby was near mute.

     Time passed together, though they said little. Weiss asked what kind of movie, Ruby wanted whatever, and Weiss shook her head and found complacence in the form of a German film Ruby wouldn't even pronounce for fear of offending someone, much less know the name of. The film itself played on her computer screen, turned to face the two of them on the bed. Next to each other. Criminally close. The best scene of the movie was outside the screen in the shrinking space between them. At one point Weiss unravelled her pony tail and the silver string of her locks brushed along Ruby's cheeks and shoulders, stirring something damn near sinful in her heart.

     Honestly, despite the subtitles and the fact that Weiss took every few seconds to explain the intricacies of this movie's apparent plot, Ruby couldn't manage to cement a single frame to memory. She was busy enjoying the touching of their arms, the calmness of the moment. To Weiss it was movie time, to Ruby it was stop thinking about how everyone was fucking gone from her life and breath time. It was perfect.

     Thirty minutes in, the pizza came. College dorms one of their primary patrons, its speed was snappy. Weiss' food of course cost considerably more than Ruby's order, so out of kindness, the heiress decided to cover the tip. As Weiss said the "Deutsch should go Dutch." The movie continued and they ate in silence, connected at the shoulder. Weiss actually ate pizza with a fork and knife, which Ruby thought was absolutely preposterous and adorable, though she kept the thought to herself, keeping it for later. Eventually all good things, much like her pizza, came to an end. Credits rolled. The assumed silence was over and so was the peace Ruby so wanted right now.

     "Well, what did you think?" Weiss asked, looking up with quizzical eyes, borrowing in for lies. This was dangerous.

     "I had a great time," Ruby nervously chuckled out her lie of omission, still the truth. Lying to Weiss was like playing Bomberman with actual grenades and actual psychopaths.

     "You did not fall asleep!" Weiss growled. _Threatening…_

     "Nope! I one hundred percent totally did not fall asleep!" Ruby shot up straight and smiled. She was committed to the lie of omission. There was no going back now. Abandon all hope ye who enter here.

     "Ugh," Weiss whined, leaning back against her wall, arms crossed in irritation, "That means I have to show you this again, because you _will not_ date me and not like this movie," the sound of date me was art, "Did you hear its score?"

     Ruby resisted the urge to say, _No, not over you talking_. "I promise I totally will, next time, if there is a next time, I will watch and you can quiz me throughout, and I will learn to speed read and I will do it!" Weiss raised an eyebrow in plain disbelief, but she seemed happier at the thought.

     "I suppose given your troubles I'll forgive you," Weiss held her breath for a moment, taking the time to find words. This was a bizarre event, for as long as Ruby knew her Weiss never did not have the words she was looking for. "I know I'm not exactly _agreeable_ a lot of the time, but I know you must be hurting a lot. I really appreciate you still came here. After losing your mother, Yang just vanishing... So irresponsible." Ruby felt Weiss' hand gently reach over to Ruby's, palm overlapping the top, thumb sweetly making repeated brushes against her fingers. They were cool hands, calloused at the tips from her music, but electric to the soul.

     "It's okay, I just," Ruby didn't know how to put it to words. Her mom never chose to die, she fought so hard, so hard despite the doctors telling her there was no way, she did everything to live. Yang on the other hand, what happened had to be real. Still, the word abandoned like to skate on the edges of her mind and no matter how much Ruby resisted, she could hear it whisper to her from the dark corners. She felt completely and totally abandoned.

     "You don't have to say anything," Weiss offered and Ruby snatched.

     "But hey, I write more when I'm sad, you'd be proud of me. Last night I wrote so much. I don't know if I'll use it, but it felt good." A desire for something more propelled her. And so the pen moved across the page. Weiss nodded, and Ruby could see the devil in her eye as she smirked again.

     "Then I think you should write."

     "Right now?" Ruby asked, confused. This was suppose to be a date not a workshop.

     "Yes, you write. I compose. The works I compose when I fucking hate everything are all my favorites. I think right now, we need to make art." Weiss seemed so pleased with herself, like she had discovered some secret, some understanding. Did she get Ruby somehow more? That was impressive given Ruby didn't get Ruby like this.

     "I...I'm sorry our first date is like, like a non-date. I'm sorry and I hope you give me another chance. I want to prove we can be a thing." Ruby stirred up whatever fire was in her, passed the weird mumbly jumbly nervousness that crippled her ability to say anything concrete. Weiss gripped down on Ruby's hand and got up, wiping the invisible dust from her shorts.

     "Alright," Weiss allowed, like she was giving a gift, "You can get another date, sometime next week, maybe? In the meantime, we'll give you a trial girlfriend status, is this acceptable?" Only Weiss Schnee could turn, 'yeah sure, and let's be steady, too' into a threatening business proposal.

     "Sounds wonderful," Ruby agreed, sitting up on the bed. The working journal she used when they were together was there waiting for her to get to it, this felt right, was right. "Plus my dad already thinks we're together, he wanted you over for dinner to meet the family," Ruby immediately regretted that.

     "Did he now?"

     "Oh no."

     "I think, yes."

* * *

**Yang Xiao Long**

     Venice was a soggy place. The fall through winter months drove up the sea level, and on a rainy night the street passageways were drowning in brackish liquid, the beautiful city on water become one with the water. Yet, in a way, among the multi-colored, though usually red, town houses that dominated the water wayed streets with black brick sidewalks, gained a new type of beauty. It looked abandoned, but like a marvel lost in time, only to be found centuries later in an uncharted game. Except instead of people with guns, there were Italians. Treasure in turn became secrets and of course the hot female side kick was from here, not traveling with her to this mysterious place.

     Venice, beyond soggy, was the hometown of Blake Belladonna, the girl that vexed Yang almost as much as her lot in life. As such, during this adventure through Europe to get her shit together, this place was a must. She didn't know what was there to find, but Yang would look. Search for clues about this enigma as she crossed the grand canal to the La Giudecca in a water logged river bus. It skirted quickly over the lagoon. It was supposed to look green, but in the late hours of the night the pathways were visual more akin to oil. Why she was unwilling to wait till morning, Yang couldn't explain. Mom and her pushed to get here, arriving late into the night, catching the last ferry. Once checked in, mom went immediately to work, Yang ditched in turn without a word. She wouldn't understand this anyways.

     Stepping off the water bus, Yang landed immediately into a flooded puddle and it amazed her that anyone, especially Blake, really lived in a place like this. It was breathtaking, so old, so unlike anything else. Backyards were doorways that lead right into the rivers. Plazas, bridges, and roads were mere sidewalks to small boats that acted like cars. Yang had seen many pictures of this place, Blake had described this neighborhood especially in most detail, but she had never actually understood before stepping on the black stone walkways flooded by the lagoon.

     Yang's search for understandings on La Giudecca was aimless in direction, she kept out of the main streets, into the alleyways where there was slight rain protection, for whatever that meant. Her tan jacket was black now it was soaked through. Still, she continued, the pathways seemed more mystical, greenery growing off the buildings like it was some portal to fairy gardens or some such bullshit. There were no plans, her broken Italian-Spanish hybrid language she had developed with Blake could get her around Italy, but wasn't going to explain to the locals exactly what she was looking for. Not that anyone was probably going to get a question like "Who was Blake? And why would she leave me?" Still, she persisted, with little but the lights hanging from balconies, to find someone.

     Of course as if on call, three came. Boys dressed in cheap looking dress shirts with wolf emblem armbands, each smoking cigarettes in the small plaza, after all in Venice almost every plaza was small, corner under some rare shade. Yang trespassed into this little wolf den and immediately they locked on, all smiles saying something she didn't understand in Italian. They warmed her, each trying to get her attention, each so close to getting a book in the face. After several days of travel, Yang wanted nothing more than to pop all three of them in the mouth. Just like that, she got her wish.

     The one right in front of her jokingly put his hand to Yang's side, stroking down the jacket. The way he moved suggested he was looking for wallets, not a feel. Small comfort to the blonde tourist, and certainly not comfort enough to get anything other than what exactly he deserved.

     One swift jab to the throat, right fist smashing into the Italian man's adam's apple. He fell over onto the flood, a coughing mess from one strike, just the way Yang liked it. One of his friends decided to be dumb and toss in a punch, slow and sloppy like a regular street punk. Yang shielded her head with the left arm, absorbing the blow and bruising his fingers. Feet already tilted, she twirled, spinning right elbow slashed his face, the sharp boney ball literally cutting the thin skin of his brow. This was fun, this was Yang in her natural state, her Toa.

     Of course there was the last. He was tall, and equally as dumb, thinking to throw a hook at a girl from behind. Yang swiftly ducked, feeling too fast for their world, her feetwork naturally spinning her one eighty, lining her eyes with his chest. She unloaded. Letting her frustration out, Yang rained in rabbit punches up his center to his face, each one swapping between hands and faster than the last. By the time she even reached his chin, the man was falling over, defeated.

     "Run pups!" someone shouted in Italian, pausing Yang as she stood over the fallen pickpockets, the three of them barely crawling up. The elbowed kid holding his face to stop the bleeding was the first to stand and book it. Coughing kid was gone shortly after, leaving the last one to crawl before running. These kids ran better than they could fight, clearly not used to getting into a brawl.

     "You better run!" Yang yelled after them in English they likely couldn't understand, snapping some alley lights on, probably poor folks awoken by the fight in their otherwise sleepy part of town.

     "They're gone, trust me. If you have just threatened a fight they'd probably have ran anyways," the voice from before cut in with accented English. Reminded her of Blake long ago, same voice, just masculine with a hint of wine slurring it. The actual figure was much as she imagined. A young man, extremely tall with fire red hair. He walked shakily with a bottle wrapped in plastic. It looked awful and shabby compared to his nice black suit, which of course was soaked. A drunk, but even Italian drunks dressed well.

     "Who were those thugs? I want to kick their collective asses again," Yang asked without thinking on it much. She felt good. Her hands were shaking violently, her blood dotted lightly across her scraped up fingers. Bare knuckle fighting was intense, the painful sting harsh, but so lively. She felt invincible in spite of, because of, the way her hands cried out for relief.

     "Don't worry about them, street gang called the White Fang. Once a anti-foreign group trying to protect Venice locals from being pushed out by big businesses, now they're a bunch of street punks." Punks was right, the most uncourteous of the otherwise gentle people of this sinking city. Yang stepped beside the man, sitting down on the step to someone's home, but just out of the rain.

     "Why White Fang?" Yang asked, wanting a break. Turning to the Italian man, he was more collapsed than seated below the balcony, a spray painted red wolf with crossing lines behind him. He rested beneath its jaw, the sprayed fangs biting into him.

     "A White Fang, Like a griffin's fang? Like our flag," the man answered. If he thought Yang knew what the flag of Venice looked like, he was clearly under a rather wrong impression of what she was about.

     "Then why is a wolf their thing?" Yang questioned, pointing to the spray.

     "Back when I ran things it was a griffin, but the Roman changed it to the wolf, you know like Romulus? The fucking Roman is why those kids are trying to pickpocket you instead of causing the right kind of trouble." The slurred speech told Yang very little about the street punks but plenty about him. A drunk whose life's greatest achievements drifted away into a twinkle on the horizon, sucked out of the lagoon and into the sea.

     "You ran things? You look more ghetto than gangster, drunk dude. If you get me?" Yang criticized, unafraid of this former mafioso status. He could barely stand, even with a weapon, she could ruin him.

     "And you look more tourist than Italian. Why the hell are you on this side of La Giudecca? The hostels are on the nicer half of the sestieri, this is the one part of Venice not turned into a tourist trap," he grunted, though the complaint was similar to ones Blake had mumbled over pictures of her home, "Also, I said I use to run them when I was just out of highschool. I'm a shitty waiter now. Adam is my name. Not 'drunk dude'."

     "I'm here 'cause someone important to me grew up here. Her last name was Belladonna if you know her family." Yang wasn't afraid to get to the point. Maybe he knew her, maybe he didn't, but she wasn't going to find out by skirting around it. If he didn't feel like talking, she could just drag him around by the balls until he did. "And I'm Yang."

     "Shit, you know Blake?" he called out, sobering them both on the sound of the Venetian girl's name. As if summoned the rain picked up, the black droplets moving aggressively towards them, darkening the tips of her shoes as they approached. "I know her and her family real well. She was one of my girls. She was part of the gang and everything. She not tell you about me?"

     "No," Yang answered harshly, disgusted in her taste in men, though all of his story was suspicious, except for knowing Blake. How many Italians had an old English name? "Or the gang. No offense, but she doesn't seem the type." Yang was too frustrated to hide that contempt though, despite wanting more info. "Also what do you mean _one_ of your girls?

     "Like I said, different time. We grew up together, both our families were glass blowers, it's a big business here, least until the Schnee's bought the glass factory on Murano. Our families lost their jobs. Went from artisans to tourist servers. We, Blake and I, we stood up for Venice. Did until I overreached," he spoke with despondent tinge, though Yang didn't consider it good enough for anything close to rapprochement. He seemed to pick up on this with the way she glared at him. "And yes, don't give me that dirty look, I slept around. Different time."

     "I can see why she left you," Yang admitted, unafraid to be perfectly real with him, maybe even a little jealous, seeing what kind of person her peer was. "Blake deserves the best, and me on my bad days are better than anything I'm seeing here."

     "It was a different time, Blake never understood what we were becoming, she never got out of her little dreamworld." Yep, he was sorry about how it ended, not sorry for what he had done.

     "Boy," Yang cut off, hands and head boiling, her fingers twitching as she balled them into firsts, "Say one thing about Blake, other than she is a goddess you were blessed to even know, and I will call the cops on your little gang and beat you till they send _me_ to jail."

     "I don't care. I haven't seen her since she skipped town. Whatever Blake you know hasn't been a thing in Venice for years," he didn't seem afraid. Difficult to beat down what was already at the bottom. Still, that was a shock. Years was wrong for someone in their second year. What was in between? Why hadn't Blake mentioned that? Never actually explaining why she left.

     "I hate to ask, judging from the kind of company she kept, why did she leave?" Yang thought maybe it was a piece of the puzzle, something to figure the girl out. Though, from what she could see, there was a bull headed pig related to it, "And if you hurt her I will murder you."

     "Well," he laughed, "can't tell you then."

     "Fine, keep it gentle or I murder you," Yang lied. She wanted to know. Why leave a place of immaculate beauty like Venice. Why abandon everything she knew for a small city in northern Spain half a continent to the west. That was something suited to a vagabond like Yang, but Blake always moved with purpose.

     "We had just got out of mandatory schooling, she was on the fast track for academy, I was bound for the working world. Neither of us cared. We were busy striking back against the company that ruined our families. I sent her on a mission with some of the other kids to take the automated machinery at the glass factory and dump it in the lagoon. I didn't tell her that some of the other kids were going to firebomb the inside. She called it off soon as she found out and confronted me while I was," Adam paused his story to cough, an awkward moment to find the right word to follow through with the gentle command, "relieving some stress with a mutual friend. Few days later she was off with peace corps and never came back." That was real shit, stealing, vandalizing, firebombing? None of these things matched the pacifistic Blake. She was a huge activist for sure, but to work with a gang like that? Blake kept much from her.

     "You're forthcoming for an asshole," Yang spit with rage. She wanted to see Blake now, get what the fuck happened for real. More than that she wanted to know, what exactly made her change. Was it him? This Adam? Was Yang the same as him in her eyes? In real life? Were the choices they made permanent? The keys were coming together. Just a little.

     "What are you going to do? Call the police to arrest me for what I almost did years ago?" Adam, a drunk relic in a suit laughed, proud of the only actions of his life that carried weight. Perhaps in his head, he was still fighting the fight. Didn't matter.

     "I could drown you," Yang openly considered as she stood.

     "The entire city already is," he said, chuckling, but it wasn't funny. The rain was heavy, she had to get a water bus, return to the hotel. This was the most beautiful city in all of Europe. Singular, unique, the town that rose from the sea, and it was washing out her flame. Tomorrow, see the sights and escape. They had more places to be, more things to find, more worlds to see and give Yang the time to unwind her mind. She would not become like Adam, living in the lime light of events growing ever distant.

     "I don't know what I expected to find here." _Why she left and why you should, too._

     "Where is she now? I want to see her again," Adam called out, mourned really, as Yang stepped away toward the grand Venetian canal.

     "Where you'll never find her."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ****Well I am sorry for the long wait! I was rushing through to finish up MV on FF.net before RTX and now I am back to work on Choice, but good news is next chapter should be finished (though editing takes time too!) by the end of the week! Back to back choice! While I don't know if I will start a new project some time soon, I do know Choice is my number one priority with the Vale series finished. (though Summer's Vale is still being considered.)
> 
> This chapter was fun, especially moving to Venice for a small bit. Honestly I mean it when I say it's the most beautiful city in Europe. From my experience it is like nothing I've ever seen and I feel awful fictionalizing a gang in what is a fairly safe community!
> 
> Thanks so much again to LazyKatze for her edits. She's been so kind to help despite a lot of stress so really pour out some love for my best bud and all her hard work!


	15. Worth the Risk

**Ruby Rose**

     "Dad, this is Weiss Schnee," Ruby announced at the doorway, voice hitching as she, Weiss Schnee, looking like the princess of Germany, strutted into the Long home like she owned it. She had dressed in her best heels, made her a hair taller than Ruby for once, which was cute. Of course, she wore her silver and black aesthetic in both her blazer and folded skirt, complementing the snow white hair and the red intensity of her scar. What the hell was she doing dating Ruby Rose, a literal potato?

     "Oh," Taiyang responded, dressed not quite to the same level of regal presence. He prefered a black turtle neck and some jeans to match the scraggly amount of facial hair he had. "Nice to meet you, Weiss. You can call me Taiyang."

     Weiss paused for a moment, the German girl's blue eyes sending off a confident, close to cocky, glare at Ruby. She had a trick up her sleeve, which was positively terrifying. "Hěn gāoxìng rènshí nǐ," Weiss announced, not to Ruby of course, since it seemed like gibberish, but her dad caught it, least enough to laugh.

     "I'm from Hong Kong, we speak Cantonese, better luck next time," Taiyang replied in very plain American English, accented yes, but it wasn't even Chinese. A lifetime of travels manipulated his tongue so much, no place could leave a discernible mark. Weiss frowned, but hearing Cantonese she smiled one of those razor-like smiles. Weiss Schnee never backs down.

     "Hóu hòisàm yihngsīk néih." Ruby guessed, especially from how wide her father's eyes got, that this was Cantonese.

     "You're shitting me," he cooed with a chuckle, slapping his sides in excitement, "Still not quite right, but wow."

     "I don't know very much Cantonese to be honest, Mr. Long." Weiss faked being humble, but her body language said otherwise. Hands on her hips, chin held up so high that you might have confused it with the world's prettiest spear point. Some people would have taken that kind of overconfidence and haughty attitude as rude, but from another angle, it was enviable and very cute. Ruby chose to always look at it from that reference point.

     "Well, I am impressed, now I really do have to feed you," Taiyang admitted, seeming to take the same view as Ruby and letting them in. Today was the big dinner-date-family-gathering-extravaganza the two of them had agreed on, against the redhead's wishes, setting the day at just over two weeks from when they started going out. Not even a year into being her active father, Taiyang was setting out to embarrass her. For the first, and last moment, Ruby was grateful Yang wasn't there. Whatever damage Taiyang might manage, she would dwarf it in a fiery cloud of death and the ashes of dignity. Least they didn't have baby pictures.

     Weiss stepped beyond the point of no return, the girl comfortable as she skirted passed the door frame. Taiyang left immediately for the kitchen, going to nurse the already sizzling food. The German scanned the rooms as she walked, very slowly, methodically, Ruby following on her toes, nervous. She couldn't help but wonder what Weiss saw, their home for the first time exposed to her. Only a few weeks ago Ruby had crossed the border into the Long family keep, a labyrinth compared to the condo she lived in, filled with foreign smells, homely sights, and familial touches. Ruby had been wholly impressed, but to Weiss, perhaps it proved their stature difference. The Long family had no castle, mansion, or estate to give her, Ruby had even less. There was a world of difference between them, and Ruby wanted to know what she thought.

     "Ruby," her girlfriend spoke softly to keep it between them. That was a bad sign. Why whisper compliments? She hated it, she had to hate it. "Do we leave our shoes at the door?" Weiss asked with a touch of embarrassment and Ruby got to breathe.

     "Oh, uhh, you don't have to, but some of us do. Kind of a free for all, do your own thing kind of home, ya' know?" Ruby replied with a chuckle, playing carefree giddy girl was her style, though carefree wasn't a feeling Weiss gave her, ever.

     "Fair enough," Weiss deemed, keeping her heels on of course, "It's a nice place, thank you for inviting me."

Ruby smiled a goofy grin, her general allergic reaction to whatever the northern girl had to say, like every time she spoke. "Thanks! I know it's not exactly the fancy shmancy royal Castle, we're more brawlers than royals here!" Ruby joked, throwing a few meager air punches. She was not Yang, but hey, talent was in the blood, wasn't it?

     "Oh please, I think one brute is enough per family," Weiss spun around, dismissing her partner's punches, "and honestly, I like it. Castles are intriguing, but lonely. This place feels lively."

     "You should see it when everyone is here."

     "I really should." The two of them caught each other's eyes for a moment, relishing the statement. This trial was sure getting longer and longer, Ruby noted with a spring in her step kicking her forward.

     The meal was a Taiyang speciality, Spanish and Chinese mix. Without his wife though, Ruby noted his culture truly dominated. The main meal was Spanish pork, fresh red pig with brown coated flavoring. Around it was rice from both sides, yellow flavored and plain white to give options. If that wasn't enough there was a nice bit of celery tofu stir fry for veggies and a concoction of leftovers, the only surefire ingredient being instant ramen and an egg. All together this was a feast for three families, not three people. _Go big or go home, huh dad?_

     "Weiss, you speak Cantonese well enough, are you prepared to eat it?" Taiyang challenged, taking his seat at the center of the table, Weiss and Ruby's chair on the other, side by side. Ruby didn't know how to feel about having her father for a wingman.

     "I can't imagine I'll have any trouble eating your hand cooked meals, Mr. Long," Weiss countered, basically saying, 'oh screw you I can' in the politest way possible. Ruby just sat down, wasn't about to get between them when she could be getting into pork.

     "Please, Taiyang," her father corrected with a smile, "Now eat!" Like a runner's shot, the race was on and the three of them did unholy things to that food.  
Weiss may have pretended to be prim and proper, but she struggled to keep it up, locked in a race with Taiyang, which Ruby thought her father wasn't even aware he was in. Ruby coated her lips in pork seasoning and soon enough casual talk turned to jokes between bites and as was common when anyone spent time here, it felt like they were family over dinner.

     "So you have physics duels? I never knew you were such a nerd, Ruby," Taiyang joked as Weiss explained how they really became friends. He was subtly probing Weiss for information, and of course she gave it. Ruby knew her girlfriend well enough to know she loved talking about herself.

     "Shush," Ruby shot back, tossing one of the chopsticks she was provided at him. Yang's habits were starting to rub off on her, but oh well. She prefered forks. "This nerd managed to beat the best student in the school!"

     "Uh no," Weiss cut in, shaking her head, "that is just not true!"

     "I mean, probably not, but you have to be one of the better ones!" Ruby offered. Weiss wasn't biting. Least not biting the bait.

     "No, I mean you did not beat me!" Ruby grinned as Weiss raged. She couldn't help but poke a dragon when her ego was hurting just a little. Just for fun.

     "No, remember? We thought you were right, but Penny corrected you. It's okay, Weiss, that's why we study together," Ruby paused, considering her mortality, her short life, it was a beautiful one, "that way I can help you." _See you soon, mom._

     Does Penny look like a physicist to you?!" Weiss slammed her fist on the table, shaking the whole god dang arrangement. In response, both father and daughter cracked into a full fit. They shared a similar cackle, one more thing than hair it seemed. "Does this seem funny to you!?"

     "I'm sorry," Ruby answered, still giggling, "but yes."

     "Okay, I'm saving this, get close," Taiyang commanded, pulling out his smartphone, a requirement for the modern business world and an easy camera for an evening together. Weiss rolled her eyes, but scooted closer to her, not too grumpy to refuse an arm pulling the pair together. Taiyang snapped the photo and their night was captured. Ruby was smiling full teeth bright and silly. Weiss was frowning and looking away, a red embarrassed little grimilian.

     "Can you send me that?" Ruby asked, feeling too relaxed by her dad to be scared like before. Weiss kept up the moodiness and kept quiet, but no one paid it any mind.

     "Sure, just let me upload it to my Ruby DropBox first," Taiyang replied, messing with the app real quick. Ruby couldn't help but wonder how many photos he had of her or how, but whatever, probably a dad thing.

     Ruby wasn't the only one thinking of it though. Weiss was suddenly interested again. Grinning and leaning forward, eyes set on something evil. Revenge. "A Ruby folder? Would I be wrong to suggest baby pictures might be in there?" _No!_

     "Yeah!" Taiyang was lighting up, like someone just shot him up full of sunshine, "I didn't get to see Ruby much, but Summer, her mom, always sent me pictures." Weiss had a shit eating grin so wide one could only find it on the world's most successful dung beetle.

     "Please, no," Ruby asked, wanting to slip inside her hoodie. Unfortunately, no hoodie would protect her from the brunt of a Schnee's scorn.

     "Here we go!" Taiyang flipped over his phone to the first picture that Ruby never knew had been taken. She was a baby in a tub, reddish black hair just an ugly sprout on her fat baby body. This was not a flattering time for the young rose. Weiss stared deeply into the baby form, blue eyes targeting that poor child like a terminator with a target.

     "You were so," _fat? Yeah, I was big when I came out!_ "Cute!" Weiss let out in full baby talk, eyes widening and smile so innocent. Ruby had never considered, ever, that Weiss would have even the time of day for cute things, much less, _much less_ be like this. "Aww, let me see that!" Before Taiyang could say yes, she ripped the phone out of his hands, swiping over to another picture. This one a slightly older, skinnier toddler Ruby covered in her own food.

     "Look at this, you were so adorable," Weiss continued to flatter, sliding the picture across to show Ruby walking for the first time, scanned polaroids saved her embarrassment for a whole other technological age. The redhead sunk into herself as Weiss gushed, eventually taking the girl's attention. "Oh don't sulk, you still are," Weiss stared at the screen confused, flipping to a new photo, "Who are these people?"

     The picture was a scanned polaroid, old, older than Ruby. In it ten men and women in military uniforms held up a flag, a rose symbol in the center and a list of sharpied names all throughout. Ruby recognized her uncle to the left, a man holding onto the corner of the banner, his desert camo marked with a Spanish flag on the shoulder, and one of the others, a woman below him, smiling with deeper red hair down past her shoulders, strong yet feminine face, and a smile that was very much Ruby's. Her fatigues were greener, body armor visible from the outside, almost covering the American flag emblem. It was mom.

     "Oh, that's from before Ruby was born, it's actually from the base I met her at," Taiyang moved over to them, looking at the picture with his own sense of nostalgia. "We were in North Nigeria, rich country, but that was a poor region, we were building a mine for the company I work for, and I was brought in to help make it sustainable. Ensure the locals could basically run it without us. Of course we needed security, so my brother-in-law told me he knew a company he worked with, run by a former Marine combat engineer that specializes in sustainable security. That combat engineer was Ruby's mother." Weiss looked confused, maybe mesmerized, but something else. Unsure. What do you say about a picture of a dead woman? Ruby didn't know and she was the daughter.

     Yet Weiss found the words, "She's beautiful."

     "Yeah, what's interesting is we were never really a thing. I was her boss, her friend, but we were never together. More siblings than anything else," Taiyang stepped back away, towards an open chair to tell his story. One Ruby had heard Summer repeat to her much the same way. "I always guessed she was... similar to Ruby in terms of partners, but one night me and Envida, Yang's mom, my wife, got into a huge fight about me being away from home. She threatened to take Yang and I was talking about divorcing her. Summer decided to take me out drinking. Next morning, I wake up with her and she says, 'Now you and I have both made mistakes,. Call her, say you're sorry, and go back home. Also, you owe me for the tab," Taiyang chuckled, Ruby surprised to hear that part. Summer made it seem like they had a heart to heart, but knowing her mother, Ruby wasn't surprised. "I ran back home and never left. Few months later I learned one of my favorite people was on the way."

     "You slept with an extremely attractive woman warrior and don't even remember?" Both Weiss and Ruby were mortified. The older one that he forgot, the younger at picturing her mom having sex ever with anyone.

     "I don't think it's exactly appropriate to say what I do and don't remember about that. When I think of Summer, though, it's the kind of person she was. Her zest for life, her laugh. Mostly her sense of duty, you'll never meet another soldier of fortune more devoted to making a difference over getting paid." Another was a bad word. Weiss wouldn't meet any. Summer was gone. She'd never zest for anything, laugh about anything, or make a difference in anything ever again. "You should be real proud, Ruby."

     "Yeah," Ruby acquiesced. _Certainly should be._

* * *

     "Alright, given the y component of this is a touch more sophisticated, and we want to finish this before the sun rises, you handle the partial derivative with respect to x. I'll do y and then we will have the lagrangian in a matter of minutes." Weiss stood over the scattered sheets of graph paper like a commander over the field of battle, despite only being right next to the couch Yang so regularly occupied. It was kind of hard to take seriously though, dressed in her night gown, hair down and free. Like a child playing their hardest game of Risk yet.

     "I'm sorry," Ruby interrupted from her position on the hammock bed, a comfy cradle that held her, her notebook, and the calculator, "I kind of dazed out and already did the y portion." Wasn't that bad anyways. Partials were always easy.

     "Really?" Weiss glared at her like it would start a fire, "The whole point of staying up all night studying together is to be a team, isn't it?"

     "Well, you can still do the x part," Ruby mumbled in her own defense, withdrawing further in her PJs and hammock home. Weiss grumbled further, hands on her hips, finally collapsing on the couch, the soft cushions taking the blow and letting their mound of physics work fall to the floor. It was near midnight and they hadn't even moved into a Spanish quiz refresher yet. They were doomed.

     "The x part is too easy, just power rule. I need something more challenging!" Weiss pouted. Really she just hated being the one copying Ruby's work. Always wanted to be a leader, not much of a follower. Still an opportunity opened itself up.

     "Might help you work on your speed." Ruby paid for the comment with a couch cushion to the face. Instinctually Ruby returned fire, missing completely, but making a real mess with a stack of tossed papers.

     "Damn it, Ruby you might be fast," Weiss sauntered up right to the hammock, laying her chin on the edge, close enough to Ruby to make her heart do the classic jump beat, "but you certainly excel at wasting time. Exactly how are we going to get you an A at this speed?"

     "Shouldn't you be concerned about getting your A, partner," Ruby shot back, reaching out with a finger to poke Weiss on the cheek. It was super soft and the red head felt exorbitantly gay. Her partner was less enthused.

     "I don't need to be concerned. I know I'm getting an A." Weiss glanced at her with a harsh expression, as if Ruby was doubting the girl's skills. Honestly, she just cared a lot more about her girlfriend's score than her own. What was one more lost American girl to the world? How did the difference between an A and a B factor in when she couldn't even aim at any potential future. She couldn't be confident in her physics skills when she wasn't confident in her existence skills.

     "How are you so confident?" Ruby asked, wanting to know the secret, though it wasn't new territory. Do or don't. She wanted to be a writer, then be it. That wasn't enough. Yang wanted to be a fighter more than anyone and it didn't make her win, Summer wanted to make a difference in the world and she was stolen away in a medical bed. Ruby? She wanted to live in the world of fantastical hopes and dreams, monsters and heros and no one worrying if the world could care about what they did. What did it matter in the real world whether she decided or not? The world didn't need mediocre writers, didn't want her dreams. How could she will it into being?

     "Ruby…" Weiss sighed, hands gripping the edges of the hammock rocking it slightly. Her lips twisted in a grimace, like something ugly was caught on her tongue, sickly word vomit perhaps.

     "I know, I know, because 'anything else is unacceptable right?" Ruby tried to mimic Weiss' mannerism and voice, throwing up finger quotes to be playful. She didn't like that ill look on her.

     "I am only confident because the second I stop pretending to be I'll drown in my insecurities," Weiss admitted, dipping her chin down in the hammock net, not her usual high posture. She was like a rock on the cost. The second it stops fighting the wind and waves is the moment it falls into the sea. "You either believe you can bend the world to your will, or you get bent. I prefer bending." Her head was held low, silver hair hanging in front of her eyes, but the blueness of them was sharp, sharp and staring into Ruby, catching something deep in her. "Ruby, when did you stop believing in yourself?"

_When mom died, when the world decided it didn't care what either of us wanted and years of trying didn't give mom her dreams, didn't stop her from fading half way through a lifetime. She didn't win and she had all the will in the world. I'm nothi—_

     "When I realized this world isn't a fairy tale." Ruby cut the dangerous train of thought on the tracks, letting it crash into a partial truth. It was so odd, to think she use to be so optimistic, her old friend Reese use to compare her personality to that of a little kid with a paintbrush and the world as a canvas.

     "Ruby, the world might not be a fairy tale, but that's no reason to not try and change things into one," Weiss stood up, hands still gripping the hammock bed, pulling it open for more space, "Now move over."

     "What?!" Ruby shouted, feeling the whole thing nearly flip over as Weiss pushed Ruby to the far side and tossed herself in. The strange contraption twisted and moaned from the weight of two people, and Ruby froze from the touch of one. Hammock pulled them both together like a bed never really did. All weight shifting to the center, the two of them had no space between each other, pajamas alone to separate their bodies a contorted mess of appendages on the distorted mattress. They were facing each other, forehead to forehead small hole between their chins. Weiss was quick to pull her arm around her and the blanket over them. This was crazy, this was too much. This was not meant for hammock time. Ruby needed an adult and prayed none would show up.

     "Okay, so I don't think sex will ever work on one of these, but this is not terrible," Weiss mumbled and Ruby torched. Her head was redder than Pyrrha's head soaked in cherry juice. The fuck happened to studying? "We'll have to get you a real bed, not a child's playset."

     "Weiss, if you're tired you can sleep in Yang's bed," Ruby instinctually offered, fearing the effects of a total meltdown. Weiss' hair was in her's, hand stroking her back, legs intertwined with her's. For a relationship only a few weeks long and without even a first kiss it was an intense minute and a half.

     "Are you trying to get rid of me?" Weiss murmured angrily. Ruby returned a headshake, though part of her was really afraid of just something being fucked up, the major part of Ruby wanted Weiss here in her hammock.

     "No," the redhead answered with words, "though I don't know how I'm going to study like this, plus there's still a notebook floating somewhere between us, and I don't know if you're prepared to wake up with a binder in your butt," Ruby joked to ease the weird rumblings inside her. Weiss gave a single chuckle in reply.

     "The board's considered the risks," Weiss whispered, closing the hole between their chins and giving Ruby the first kiss she'd had since high school, "We've decided the gains are worth the risk."

Ruby didn't know how much she missed things like that until now. A gentle little peck on the lips, a drink in a desert. Weiss was soft, she smelled sweet, she was gorgeous, even her jammies were more styling. How in the heck did she land this girl? "But seriously, I need help in Spanish."

     "We will study in the morning, lord you ruin the mood so—" Weiss would have groaned, had Ruby not gone for a short, completely innocent revenge kiss, "Oh, you bastard!"

     "You know it," Ruby chuckled, thinking that mom would have loved that joke.

* * *

**Yang Xiao Long**

     Paris was suppose to be the most beautiful city in the world, its famous sites the envy of all, its people all spoke the language of love, its museums held the oldest and greatest collections from around the world. Its food was suppose to be the finest in the land, and its streets, while ripe with con artists, were still famed to be the grandest. Yang, however, found this place to be frankly underwhelming.

     Paris was nice, but so were Berlin, Vienna, Warsaw, Hamburg, and Amsterdam, all cities the two Longs had carved through on this several week long trip through the E.U. Next up was London, a place that Yang couldn't wait to cross to. Least she could speak the language there. She had been flying completely blind since Italy.

     Still it wasn't without charms. The river was beautiful, packed with gardens and ancient builds right against modern corporate structures. Yesterday Yang went to the Louvre while her mother worked in the hotel, a grand emporium of weird things from across the globe. So much that there wasn't even a conceivable way to see it all in one day. There were still mysteries there Yang hadn't even begun to unravel. Tonight, however, it was Envida that pulled her along.

     Her mom knew the city well, spoke French fluently enough, and knew many of the shops and corner store owners. People treated the girl they called Raven with the same way one might an old friend, and Yang was the shocking daughter no one expected. Her French skills were pitiful, but it was nice to get the attention from her mother's friends even if it all sounded like gibberish. Together they stopped by place after place, until they reached one of the corner clubs, a nice bar centered between the river plaza, Notre Dame in the distance bigger than any picture could make it out to be, and a statue of a rider on horseback, his lance comically lit up by a long neon green tube. Guy looked like he was holding a god damn lightsaber. Yang was happy to give a salute to whatever French hero mastered the Force.

     The corner club though, that place was nice. Its bartop black stone, room tastefully set up with circular couches all in low lighting. The patrons were well dressed, much nicer than Yang in her usual tan jacket and shorts. Mother was even out of her element in a vintage club, her standard old goth look, black on black on black on red wasn't exactly the style. Still, Envida seemed to be the envy of the world, confident, friendly with the bartender, while Yang chilled, botching her order of a Strawberry Sunrise's French equivalent.

     v"Sorry for dragging you around," Envida opened while finishing up with the old bartender, "I just wanted you to meet my old friends, I feel like they deserve seeing my daughter with how much I use to write about you." Yang smiled at that, knowing at least she use to be the family pride and joy. Less so now. After all how proud could one be of a fight-happy fuck up?

     "No problem, mom, I'm just glad to get a drink, I totes need one. Haven't been wasted since, well yeah." Yang knew better than to mention the accident, though the scratches on her body had long since healed over the weeks, it was still not exactly one of the best talking points for a happy fun filled evening.

     "You won't be getting drunk. Take it easy. This isn't one of those clubs." Envida grasped Yang gently on the shoulder, squeezing to reassure her, not scare her off like a little bunny. Not that Yang was ever a little bunny.

     "What kind of club is a club where you don't get drunk?" Yang sang from the swivel of her bar stool, snatching a drink as it came to her. Her mother never stopped her, she had her own drink, a wine probably. She was the fancy type with her drinks, after all.

     "This kind. This place is more for you to enjoy some fine drinks and fine music, not get wasted and start a bar brawl." Mother pointed towards the center act, a small musical troupe of woman clad in vintage dresses and styles. Two brought fine string instruments to be backed up by a man in the back on a piano. The last, a black woman with the prettiest wavy hair Yang had ever seen sung, her voice a snappy and sultry French that took front and center in their ensemble. "You never were one for refinement, huh? Couldn't sit still for it."

     "I'm like a shark, mama, got to keep fighting and swimming or I drown." Yang knew she wasn't trying to be mean, she never was. Envida wasn't judging her so much as stating a fact like the world turns and the sun rises.

     "You know most sharks don't actually need to do that?" Of course that didn't mean a Long would ever keep from being a smart ass, not especially the mama bear. "Nothing wrong with taking something in first. Not stopping, just orienting yourself."

     "Mama, last time I _oriented_ myself, it pointed in every direction." If her mom actually got her thinly veiled sexual reference, she didn't react. _Well mama, that's about as close to coming out as pan to you that you're gonna get 'till ya catch me with a dick in my mo—_

     "You know that's a direction in itself. Everywhere isn't so bad." Yang didn't expect mom to go straight into serious land, they had comfortably skirted around things for a while. Factually, Yang knew she knew pretty much everything in her life. Mothers had a way about that. Now they were reaching a moment on this trip, a moment to really figure things out. Yang's gut reaction was to say screw that. Yet…

     "I hate my life right now. I don't want to do culinary," Yang admitted, staring deeply at the musical act. They were fantastic, the performance too good for a half empty club, though they were certainly getting attention from the seemingly stoic crowed.

     "Mija," her mother replied with a smile, "I've known that since before the crash, we never made you pick culinary, so long as you go to college, me and your father are happy. Even this late, change your program and we will help you through it." Yang knew that was true, always did. Culinary was picked not because she loved it, but because it was the only thing she didn't hate. Yang had no practical passion, her Tao was nothing useful.

     "Mama, I love fighting," Yang didn't know how to explain it better than that. Or in a way that would make her parent do anything but cringe in disgust. Of course she did tense at that. How could Yang blame her? No one wants a fighter for a child.

     "You want to be a professional then?" Envida brushed her hair back as she asked, a nervous twinge. She drank a sip of wine as well, drink down her own suggestion maybe. It was too late.

     "I can't," Yang admitted, defeated, "I lost the Vytal festival, tied for third. Even if I get into minor leagues, I'll be past my prime before I even get enough fame for it to be a livable job." The French troupe, their song took on a sad mournful tone, a bit of blues in the mix. It was an awesome soundtrack to her loss.

     "You know, when my parents wanted me to be a doctor, I traveled to a lot of places. Paris, Japan, but you know what was an odd favorite?" Envida asked, nudging Yang to spur her own. The daughter rolling her eyes.

     "What?"

     "A rural town in Wales you'd never even have heard the name and I certainly can't pronounce it. I stayed in a blacksmith's place, an honest-to-god blacksmith, he sold traditional swords and other things, specialist kind of guy. I couldn't believe he existed. Why in the world would an old timey blacksmith still exist? I asked him that," Envida paused her story, tongue caught on the exact words, trying to build a portal to the past with memories, "'No matter what, if you love it you can become a master of it, and if you become a master, someone will pay you for it'," she quoted in English, accented, but perfect, something ingrained in her so much it never even translated. "He said I was like a little raven flying across the planet to escape being trapped. That's how I got the nickname. After a month with him, I moved in with my brother Qrow, and while he worked overseas, I went to school here. I learned programing and marketing. No one would pay me to be free, I thought, but I became a master of it. I help build and host travel sites. Like a blacksmith, who would pay for something like this?" She turned from the band, eyes bright with an intuition, toward her daughter. Smug woman, Yang loved her so much and hated how smart she was all at the same time. "Yang, my little one, I don't know what it is, but if you master your love, you'll find a way. Just think of another angle."

     The singer hit a strong chorus, that seasoned voice overpowering the violin, the piano, the cello, all of its orchestration. That sad love song she was singing seemed to turn to an affirmation of her own power. Yang could only guess, her face, those strong dark features seemed unbendable. She was too good for this place.

     "I think I'm ready to go home," Yang mumbled, hushed as not to disrupt the woman's finale. Her mom smiled, sipping away at her wine glass confidently.

     "After we get to Wales. I have some flowers to drop off there."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***Of all the chapters I've written, this is easily the one I knew least what the hell I was gonna do with it. I am so sorry if it's boring! I did get this done on time! One week from last release and I'm hoping to finish all of choice before November!
> 
> Thanks first to Savvymeme for helping me with dinner constructions, she is a delight and a fantastic artist so check out her tumblr by the same name if you want some RWBY goodies or other fun stuff. My other thank you goes of course to the Editor and savior of Choice Lazykatze, she is a wonder and her fic layers of Ice had a fantastic brand new chapter, you have to check it out it's great, but only on ff.net unfortunately for ya'll
> 
> Please everyone leave comments to tell me what you think! They help steer the ship (Ha!) and really point in the direction it should head, like the bumblebee section you all love is so much bigger because of your reactions so don't hesitate to tell me what you think!
> 
> I've decided to add random behind the scenes facts every chapter. First one was the original Name for Choice was "Another Language" in fact the google doc containing story notes is still under that name.


	16. Trashy Pop Love Songs

**  
Ruby Rose**

     "You said I would do fine?" Ruby moaned into her Spanish test. The midterm Professor Goodwitch had administered a week ago finally came back, passed to the menagerie of students. The fluent speakers, like Weiss and Blake, passed before they even got the exam. Ruby, on the other hand, her fate was a doomed reputation, the ugly red sixty-four visible to anyone that tossed her lap a glance. The redhead felt like she might as well paint the numbers on her face and put on a **Broadway** musical about how stupid she was, especially with Weiss looking over her shoulder, perfect, _perfect_ , hundred in her hands.

     "There was simply no accounting for you being this bad," Weiss explained, baffled at the results herself. She looked down at the test like it was a growing specimen displaying odd and unheard of characteristics. That wasn't fair, no one was good at everything. Different strokes for different folks and Ruby was not meant to stroke anything in Spanish for damn sure.

     "You were suppose to help me with the Spanish since I helped you with Physics! Why have you betrayed me, Weiss?" Ruby begged, collapsing onto her partner in crime. Glynda gave them a harsh squint, but neither of them cared. Class was over, Ren was marching off to his bed, Nora was dancing about, dragging Penny to a shared class. Velvet stuck with Blake for a little while, but soon enough left the sulking girl to herself. The Belladonna that ruled the dorms kind of ceased to be. Instead, she seemed to just wait. Eventually she would depart, but for some ten minutes after class, she would sit stagnant. Ruby wanted to reach out, help, but she was Yang's sister, and whatever happened, she was to blame by relation.

     "First off, that was not helping, that was an equal partnership. Second, you didn't seem to mind while we made out in your hammock," Weiss remained adamant in this, keeping herself steady on the lounge's couch, chin held up high as Ruby draped herself on the girl's shoulders like a languid piece of cloth, head driving into the false fur lining of her white jacket. Was kind of nice, especially with how Weiss pulled her arm around her partner.

     "That's so unfair, we like, didn't even make out. We just kissed a little!" Ruby complained, feeling contrary today. Nearly a month of moping made her just love these hours, sanctum between nine-thirty and eleven.

     "Don't whine, I intend to even it out," Weiss teased in her own hard-assed way. Ruby blushed, still not quite as good with the whole flirty BS part of this shindig. That required confidence and smoothness, and well... Ruby considered herself akin to self-deprecating gravel.

     "You're joking?" Ruby couldn't tell what answer she wanted.

     "Actually, I was hopin—"

     "Sorry to interrupt," Blake, between the flirty moments, had gotten out of her seat and shuffled up to the two of them, a silent cat as always, "but Ruby, have you heard from Yang?" Blake had barely said anything to Ruby, or anyone, since the festival. She apparently was still working, but took several sick days. Everyone said she was going to class, but studying less, yet she seemed twice as dead, dark bags from sleep deprivation haunting her face. Still, despite the disheveled hair, the tired gold eyes, Blake as always looked like she could rip someone in two with a flick of her fingers.

     "No, I haven't. Her mom's been texting our dad, so I know she's okay, but nothing else." Blake bit her lip in irritation, arms naturally crossed in doubt. Was she angry at Ruby for not knowing? "I swear, I will tell you as soon as I know anything. Blake, are you okay?" Ruby regretted the words as soon as she said them.

     "Do I look okay? How am I supposed to apologize when no one will let me talk to her!" Blake raged, her fist balled so tight Ruby thought it might bleed. "Ruby, I know she wouldn't leave you without a way to talk to her, just please, I swear I won't say anything to hurt her. I just need to do something!" In front of Blake, Ruby was frozen solid, half guilty, half scared. She wasn't lying, she'd never try to trick her friends like that, but what kind of reaction is valid when the den mother of the dorm thinks you're a liar? Glynda took notice of this, professional teacher standing up from her distant office. But Glynda wasn't the one that got to Blake first,

     "Don't." Weiss growled her warning at her right then and there, Ruby's personal white wolf. "Blake, you use to be the top bitch of this whole dorm, what the hell are you doing trying to beg your way to what? Grovel for a girl too chicken shit to stay around for her sister?" Blake backed up, eyes alight and alive again, but filled with a frightening fire. She finally didn't look dead, instead ready to murder. Weiss did not back down. "You made my time here as miserable as you could. Honestly, I don't give a fuck about either of you, but for your information: Ruby doesn't know anything. And you, you should leave her alone and fix yourself. Where's the Blake that ruled this school, huh? Where are you hiding her? In the trash with your dignity? Go get it back and leave my girlfriend alone. _Got it_?" Blake towered over both of them, the girl looked ready to snap. Ruby swore she was going to hit one of them, but Weiss stared right back. Smaller, but god she was as fierce as she was hot. Ruby had to end the fighting, someone had to budge. Something—

     "Girls!" Glynda snapped the violent air in half with a shout loud enough that Ren could be heard falling out of his own bed, "What the bloody hell is wrong with the two of you?! I won't be surprised if Ozpin himself comes to check on what exactly is causing this behavior. This might be a dorm as much as a class, but so long as I'm here you are to act with some _class_. Understood?" Blake and Weiss both calmed, the former more so than the latter. While Weiss pouted, her adversary just glared back at the floor, unable to look at Ruby, a hint of guilt maybe. Still, angry like that, especially after getting riled up, Blake looked way more herself again. Oddly enough, Ruby thought getting pissed off might have been just what she needed.

     "Yes ma'am, we are very sorry!" Ruby answered after neither of them bothered to. Glynda sighed, cupping her face in irritation.

     "Ruby, we both know you're not the one I'm talking to," she muttered into her hands before dropping them. As if to brush the whole event from her person, she wiped her hands on the white blouse.

     "Who knows. I could be loud," Ruby joked, hoping to ease the tension. Weiss rolled her eyes, Blake shook her head, but Glynda just stared at her like she was stupid, or stupider than she thought.

     "Well, please don't," Glynda requested, turning her back to the two of them, "Miss Belladonna, I know you have work. Miss Schnee, I suggest you take some time to yourself to relax. Come by my office if you need me." The way she strutted off suggested that the offer was just a formality. Blake without another word left, storming out in little thuds towards the door. Only Weiss and Ruby stood there, dorm to themselves, assuming Ren went back to sleep.

     "Well, that happened."

     "It did," Weiss confirmed.

     "Thanks," Ruby whispered, feeling relief overcome her, "I really owe you one. Blake's so on edge and I don't know how to help her." Honestly, being powerless to help Blake or Yang was frustrating, but it was nice to see Weiss jump into a fight for her, though it was probably the worst idea. Everyone needed a bit of chill.

     "You do owe me one," Weiss confirmed again, her cool hand grasping Ruby's. A cheeky look in her eye, a dastardly twinkle, hint of machinations, all these things were threatening. "Which is why you're coming with me."

     "What?" Ruby didn't have time to prepare herself before Weiss propelled her forward. The usually stern, standoffish girl seemed excited, driven today. By what, Ruby didn't know, but that was kind of the fun of life, letting the wind take her wherever. In that spirit, she let herself be drawn, run into Weiss' dorm room.

     The familiar place was immaculately messy. Clean, but loaded with music sheets and instruments. Ruby spotted a new guitar, or bass, she could never see the difference, to add to Weiss' already overpacked collection. Still, the bed area and the mini sound booth were unusually well kept and presented. The drums were pushed aside, leaving a lone microphone with two headsets wrapped around it precariously. Weiss was at her computer, forcing it awake and into start up while she stripped her light parka off.

     "So, what are you doing?" Ruby asked, trying to not be too obvious while she stared at the sight of her perfect shoulders. Underneath the parka was just a light blue sleeveless shirt that hung by the loosest and thinnest of straps, enough open skin and cleavage to make Ruby's way-too-gay-for-this heart begin an awkward tumble down some stairs. It wasn't like her taste of shorts and leggings weren't killer enough. "Or we doing? Or just what exactly did you need me for again, please?"

     Weiss looked up confused, stopped at her girlfriend's red face and Ruby knew she was caught. "Oh grow up, it gets hot in the sound booth, especially with two people." Mischievous light flashed across her eyes, the flare of a villain.

     "What do you mean two people?! I can't play any instruments!" Ruby pleaded as Weiss printed something out for them. _Lyrics?_ Ruby noted, as her partner snatched the results out and started up one of her fancy paid for music mixers.

     "I don't need you to play anything, just sing," Weiss corrected, sauntering over to her partner, reaching up to unzip Ruby's hoodie. Hands on her, taking away straps of clothing, while definitely not an unwanted feeling, was a heck of a new one for Ruby. "You are going to do a duet with me," Weiss clarified, holding the lyric sheet in her teeth and freely pulling down Ruby's hoodie. Her hands were cold on the redhead's shoulder and made the air so unnecessarily charged. "There you go," she added, slapping the sheet into Ruby's chest.

     Weiss drifted off to the sound booth, turning her equipment on and off. Ruby in the meantime traced her criminal sentence. _Falling for a girl... how could I foresee… these feelings...they will not leave me. Oh my god what is this trash?_ "Weiss," Ruby mumbled as she followed her girlfriend into the former closet, beside herself by the horror she was reading, "Is this a poppy love song?!"

     "You said you wanted a lesbian romantic subplot in you story, and I am making the music for it," Weiss explained, listening to one earbud and tapping the mic quizzically, "Plus, I felt like it would be something different, expand my musical tutelage." Weiss must have noticed Ruby not buying it, because she looked up and immediately shook her head. "Don't doubt the power of trashy pop love songs, the Japanese music industry makes millions on those trashy love songs to go with every anime."

_Oh?_ Ruby noted with interest. "Weiss Schnee, is what I am hearing that you watch anime?" This was a shocking development, the queen of cool watching her Japanese cartoons every night at home was a precious mental image Ruby would cherish forever. Weiss, however, appeared just a touch mortified.

     "I," she was not finding the right words for damn sure, "I have a few composers I have great respect for within the industries, Yoko Kanno and my absolute favorite Yuki Kajiura. I just take the time to appreciate their work within the industry." She knew anime music composers by name? _What a weeb!_ Ruby nearly screeched in a laugh. This was good, just one more thing they could connect over.

     "Wait, isn't that the one who did Madoka?" Weiss froze as she worked, silently breathing, breathing before nodding yes. "Oh my, I did not think magical girls would be your style."

     "Alright Ruby, if you are going to tell me Puella Magi Madoka Magica is anything beside a work of pure god damn art, we can break up right here, right now!" Weiss crossed her arms over her chest, puffed out like she was trying to scare away a predator.

     "No, Weiss," Ruby gave, sliding herself fully into the tiny space, ignoring the super high tech foam triangles on every side of the closet. "Madoka Magica is a work of 'god damn art', even my un-arty eyes can see, and you know what else I can see?" Ruby dared to get up close, feeling a bit of courage after seeing a new side of Weiss.

     "What would that be?" Weiss asked sarcastically, eyes filled with distrust.

     "That you, Weiss Schnee," Ruby paused to give herself time to poke her gently on the lips, "are cute, and I think it's cool you can appreciate things that fall under the uncool spectrum." Weiss was unamused.

     "I will bite your finger all the way off next time you do that." Ruby didn't believe her, but for good measure no lip booping for now, even if those naturally near invisible pink parses were super pleasant to the touch. All soft and god dang it she was too gay. "Also, it's not uncool. Cool and uncool depends on what attitude you bring to a passion, like how you're a book nerd," Weiss' eyes drifted back to her mic, suddenly gentle, no longer filled with digit severing rage, "You can be cool with how you are with it, when you're working." Both of them felt caught in the hot air. She was right, the sound booth cooked quick. "So the song, you ready?"

     "Not at all," Ruby admitted as she looked over the lyrics again. They had timing notes, and who said what, even small tonal suggestions touched on in the margins. Still, there was no way. No practice, no idea how to sing. With Weiss as her partner the separation of skill would just be horrible. "I'll do it, just, you are so not going to like it."

     "To be completely honest, I intend to do another recording with just me and me again pitch edited to sound different, but I'd like to just you know, have fun with it. Keep whatever comes out?" Weiss slipped her arm around Ruby's, pulling them together. "Doesn't mean you get to be purposely shitty, this is for me, but I deserve something good."

     "Of course," Ruby agreed, squeezing onto her arm. Close together, headphones on so they could only hear each other and the music, they huddled around her lone mic.

     The song played, a fast beat and bombastic, completely opposite of the usually richly orchestrated work Ruby was used to from Weiss, but it wasn't so bad. Those shitty love song lyrics of course sounded beautiful as soon as they left her mouth. Weiss hit all the notes perfectly, eyes closed and free hand pressing her headphones to her ears. She hogged the mic, but Ruby didn't mind. Of course her lines ended, Ruby's began, too busy to notice her mark fly by. Weiss was staring back at the redhead who was still standing wonder drunk at the sight of her.

     "Go!"

     "Oh yeah!" Ruby remembered too late, the thirty second mark was now in the middle somewhere, and Weiss struck a key and the song refreshed. It took two more times of re-running it before Ruby was, more or less, on the mark.

     Fourth run, they were fairly in sync, accustomed to the lines, where they needed to me. Comfortable smashed together, both of them leaned into the mic, in a way leaned into each other. Weiss and Ruby stopped staring at the recording device, preferring each other, their vocal breaths mixed and splashed against each other. The room was hot, boiling, and at some point the song kept playing, they stopped singing, and the world kept spinning. Instead, they kissed. Ruby heard a lot about kisses being magnetic, read the cliché in every book, but what other factor compelled her like that? A force that was stronger than gravity; a need richer than hunger and a heck of a lot more blinding. Iron snaps to the north end of a magnet, and so her lips snapped to Weiss, which sure as hell didn't do anything to solve the heating problem.

     Weiss mumbled something into Ruby's mouth, but it never caught her ears, mind fixated on what exactly to do with her tongue, where to put her arms around her partner, one on the small of her back, other gripping her shoulder. Should she reach lower? Should her kiss be deeper? Was she really even choosing any of these things anymore? Weiss pulled her lips away from the kiss and Ruby moved towards her neck, the pale long stretch of skin she had always found horribly appealing. Kissing up there Weiss made a mumbly noise that was just too damn cute. God the room was blisteringly warm.

     "Ruby," she groaned, and so she continued to work on her neck, "Ruby no," her voice was heavy with longing, but the redhead stopped dead in her tracks. She did not pass go, did not collect 200 dollars, no was no, so she froze completely still. "No, not like stop, just you're pushing me into the sound proofing, and this isn't like the cheap few dollar foam shit. That stuff's really fucking expensive specialist grade material."

     "Oh," Ruby mumbled, half laughing, half just catching her breath. She was uncomfortably sweaty, kind of uncomfortably everything. That was nice though, was really super nice.

     "We," Weiss continued between her own ragged breaths, "have like my entire room out there, and a bed if," Weiss paused on the right word, watching for Ruby's reaction, knowing it took two to tango with what she was talking about, "well for either way, but also if for like you know, if you feel ready to take the plunge." That made Ruby giggle.

     "I mean, I've taken _the plunge_ before, but I've never really had, like, been on the receiving end of, well, anything," Ruby didn't continue, a little embarrassed. Cinder was definitely a more take sort of girl, and judging from the surprised look on Weiss' face, she was getting it. "So like, I don't know if I'm exactly a virgin or like, I don't know. I didn't come with a manual."

     "That selfish bitch, really?" Ruby laughed and nodded. That's exactly what Summer had said. "Well then, I suppose _you_ deserve some attention," Weiss rested her hands on Ruby's hips and the girl started to feel an intense case of role reversal, "If you want to. I understand if it feels too soon."

     "I'm not a U-Haul lesbian, but we can like, take it step by step. I feel okay." Ruby felt completely not okay, her stomach was trying to escape out her throat, but still. It felt right, like that was normal. Like she wanted this.

     "I've never heard that term before," Weiss admitted, pulling Ruby by her hands out of the sound booth, the fresh air chilling against her sweat. That felt good. Really good. "But why don't you lay down and relax." Ruby listened, taking steps towards Weiss' fluffy queen. Fit perfectly for two, empty of all obstacles. Laying down, Ruby could see Weiss rid herself of a few future ones, kicking off her shoes and, as sexily as one could considering how silly it looks, peeling off her stockings. Ruby reached down to take her own shoe off, but got a tisk sound from her girlfriend. "Don't worry, I'm feeling particularly sweet this morning. I'll take care of everything for you, relax"

     "I'm not your virgin sacrifice, am I?" Ruby joked nervously, feeling the tension as Weiss discarded her shirt, the blue cloth floating to the floor showcasing Weiss's cute white bra, nice and frilly. Ruby didn't know if she picked it special for today or if she was the kind that could afford wearing something nice every day. There was more to see than that, her stomach was tight, abs barely poking through, a physique showing her fencing background. The shocking discovery of a black snowflake tattoo sat right below her bust, elaborate in its design and familiarly marked on much of her gear, was something Ruby made sure to note in her mind as something to ask about later. Weiss' shorts were dropped right after, a matching white bottom pair of undies showed off illegal legs. Ruby felt a little inadequate in her black tank top and jeans, not nearly as ready to party.

     "You think I accept anything other than virgin sacrifices?" Weiss cued, getting on top of Ruby, legs straddling their counters, the silver girl slowly descending, letting loose and scattering her hair between them. She held her hand to Ruby's, the other arm used for support. "Plus you're like a half virgin anyways, but you're cute so I'll ignore that tid-bit." The redhead grasped her hand and they stayed like that for a second. She was taking it slow, which Ruby really appreciated.

     Then the heat got turned on. Weiss kissed her and the dam broke. There was no longer space between them, almost fused at the hip if it wasn't for how much the German wiggled around, shifting her leg against Ruby's, hand pulling up the bottom of her shirt to touch bare skin, so much tongue suffocation was a worry. Ruby would have pulled away had it not been exactly what she wanted.

     "Ruby," Weiss whispered in a purposely succulent voice, cutting off the kiss, "Tell me if you want to stop, otherwise I'll just keep going." Weiss punctuated her breathy sentence right in Ruby's ear, finishing with a tiny nibble on the earlobe. This was unfair, and feeling a hand snake up her shirt and touch her bra, Ruby was cool with it.

     "Yeah, keep going, I'm down with that," she let out in a hyper mumble, way too hungry for this shit. Weiss got the message, and her hand slipped under Ruby's bra, a small thumb brushing over the nipple and sending a sharp shiver right to the spine. Weiss needed some god damn warmer hands.

     It wasn't long before they were both getting super irritated at the whole clothes thing. After all it was difficult to enjoy being fondled with the straps of her bra tangling up with every touch. Weiss pulled away with a smile, undoing the front strap of her own bra and freeing Ruby to get rid of her stupid tank. Annoying thing. Why couldn't they all just be naked?

     Top out of her eyes, Ruby saw her partner's completely free body for the first time, or at least the upper half. Silver hair drooped over every curve on her, shapely and strong build matched with perfectly toned finesse. Ruby felt a little less impressive, no real muscle, though a bit of chub helped hide her bones from an otherwise skinny presentation. Though as if to counter her warrior princess look, Weiss had the most adorable pair of little perky breasts, near missable pink nipples that matched her pale skin.

     "Aww, they are so cute!" Ruby gasped, staring up at her girlfriend as she sat perpendicular to her waist.

     "Do not call my breasts cute! They are sexy and a blessing!" Weiss defended, glaring back down.

     "Of course," Ruby agreed, pivoting on her elbows to meet them. Keeping her eyes on Weiss, she sweetly kissed the inner side of the left one, "Your boobs are perfect." That seemed to appease Weiss, though she had the devil's look in her eye.

     "No, not yet," Weiss argued, pecking her partner gently on the lips, "I don't see your mouth on them."

     Ruby violently coughed on her own air in surprise, face turning a darker shade of red than her hair had ever been. "Jesus," Ruby complained, not prepared for such sexy talk. Weiss appeared amused.

     "Don't bring guys into this," she jested, lightly reaching behind her partner to unclasp her bra. The thing was a tangled mess, Ruby was happy to be rid of it, her own modest chest revealed. The twins looked just fine, clearly happy to be free. "My fun will be for another time, you need to just relax," Weiss commanded, pushing her gently to the bed. Ruby had no complaints.

     "Thanks," Ruby mumbled, trying in vain to show her appreciation for the affection, but Weiss had already begun working her lips down her neck to her chest. Her tongue was both warm and cold at the same time, passionate, wet, sweet, a little intense. All those things.

     "You want to go on?" Weiss asked again as she pulled away from Ruby's right breast. The redhead nodded sheepishly, still embarrassed, but way too turned on to stop. Didn't take long after that nod for her girlfriend to start working the button of her jeans. She was still trying to be cute doing so. Kissing down from the girl's nips to her belly, buying time to slip off the dark jeans she had picked today. Free of everything spare a pair of not particularly fancy striped underwear. Had she known, Ruby would have gone for her one pair of special red and black ones with the rose etchings, but life doesn't always unfold with a map.

     "Well that's cute," Weiss whispered, turning Ruby a rose red. To add to the embarrassment, the silver girl pressed her lips to the inner thigh, biting very gently and at this point committing knowing torture.

     "You are so mean," Ruby mumbled, knowing her partner could hear it, but didn't care. She was already feeling way too hot and heavy, ready to melt down into the bed. Her legs were begging her to shift and squirm, feeling a touch damp from the foreplay. Making everything worse, Weiss was off now doing something else. "What are you doing?" Ruby asked, feeling strangely demanding.

     "Being safe," Weiss answered, showing off a plastic film in one hand and a bottle she pulled out from her below the bed case. A box of mysteries, Ruby would have been interested if she wasn't in a state of unfair abandonment.

     "I'm still a half virgin, you don't need to worry," Ruby argued, thinking herself stupid as she said it. Being safer was always smarter, especially given the fact that she was the living consequence of bad sex practices. Impatience was definitely not warranted.

     "I believe you, but," Weiss argued, pooling some watery liquid on the dental dam, a flavored lube judging from the bottle, "I haven't been since I was fifteen and seduced my first soccer girl. Yet I am as clean as the day I was born, thanks in no small part to not listening to virgins," Weiss reached up and pulled down the last shred of clothing on Ruby, "Not that I don't believe you, but until we're both tested..."

     "Safety first," Ruby answered for her, earning a smile and the shocking surge of the dam laid over her sex. "Oh wow, that's actually really cold," Ruby shouted, shivering and shimmying away from the touch at first. Weiss pulled herself closer though, one hand on the dam, reassuringly massaging her partner's thigh.

     "I know. It'll warm up in a second, faster if my circulation wasn't such shit," Weiss comforted, rubbing the dam with her free hand, both to warm it up and give Ruby a good bit of pleasure. The chill feeling was fading and replaced by special kind of sensation, one that made her feel something pull at her chest, catch her breath and make it weighty.

     "That feels really good," Ruby tried to explain and failed, but Weiss got the message, giggling with smile pride as she kept rubbing, with one hand, massaging with the other, and kissing a free breast with her unoccupied mouth. Soon enough, nothing felt cold, and Ruby pushed into the touch not away. Making dumb mumbling noises, Weiss took that as a sign and dropped from her chest to down below. "Oh god damn!" Ruby yelped, feeling her partner's mouth through the dam. Expertly, Weiss worked away, finding things to do with her hands, mouth, tongue, really all terrible, beautiful, horrible, amazing things. Ruby felt herself want it, and unable to handle it all at once. Maybe Weiss was just that good, or Ruby that easy, but one thought peered into her mind before it was scorched white for the first time: _Damn, Cinder really was a selfish bitch._

* * *

     "I never really got to say it, like not properly, but I really like you, Weiss," Ruby mumbled into her partner's neck, both of them cuddled up to each other under the covers, naked and for the most part satisfied. It was still a little messy, but the lube had been mostly absorbed and everything else worked out. There were only thirty minutes left before class, so they stayed, unmoved, and nice and warm. "You're just so cool, and driven, and I think you're one of the most powerful people I've ever met."

     Weiss didn't respond at first, though Ruby could feel her trace a finger up and down her bare spine. "Yes, I am all those things," the egotism made the redhead chuckle, "but I like you, too. You're cute, but mostly I like you because I think you're talented and a quality person, a rare combination. I believe you can succeed. More than that, you're the kind of person that everyone wants to see make it."

     "I use to believe I could do anything," Ruby admitted, pressing her face into the comforting clavicle of her dearest. It was warm there, happy and clear of doubt.

     "I wish you'd believe again," Weiss whispered into her partner's red hair, tugging her close. This was good, this was perfect. "Did I mention you're rather cute?" Weiss joked, putting a weak smile on both of them.

     "Cute enough that you'll watch the Madoka movies with me and cuddle?" Ruby begged in vain. It was nearly eleven.

     "We have class in, like, fifteen, we can't even shower. I'm going to look like such a mess." _Never,_ Ruby thought to herself, but kept it quiet. Princess never liked backtalk anyways. "Also, the only version of the movies I own are German subbed.

     "You watch German subs, weeb," Ruby joked, knowing she did exactly the same, but the offense was enough for Weiss to push her off. The redhead tried to latch back on, but again was shoved off by a pouty girlfriend. A ghastly grin on the girl's face told Ruby revenge was already found. _Oh no._

     "Speaking of anime, I don't think we ever finished the song." Weiss threw off the covers, revealing both their nude bodies to the harsh cold of an air-conditioned room. Yet the girl was not even slowed, she jumped out of the bed, ran to her computer, swinging the seat around to get comfy. Ruby had to admit, watching her just do her own thing naked was kind of nice. Then the thought struck her that she was in the nude, too, laying languid on a bed for all, or just Weiss, too see. Somehow she couldn't care.

     "I really don't wanna try recording it again," Ruby begged, patting the bed, "cuddles please!"

     Weiss didn't even look back, her eyes lit up as she listened to something on another one of the many industry grade headphones. _Oh, please no,_ Ruby thought realizing what this meant. "I don't need you to. We've been recording an hour long duet and you sound pitch perfect in this," Weiss was chuckling madly. The sound booth's door had been left open, neither of them had thought it close it, or stop the recording.

     "You are deleting that!" Ruby demanded, jumping herself out of bed and tackling her partner's chair. Embarrassing things were called out in that hour long session, very embarrassing things.

     "Depends, I can't risk this getting out, I have a reputation to keep," _but_ , "but listen to yourself!" Weiss handed Ruby the headphones, the wave file in front of her, long stretches of nothing followed by high bumps Ruby recognized.

     "Oh god, _Weiss!_ " Ruby was greeted with, from herself, as soon as she put the headphones off. The redhead nearly smashed the screen, chucking the thing away from her. "If it's just gonna be me then no!"

     "Be quieter in bed then," Weiss argued, looking up from her chair at her partner, "I'll remove it if you want, but who else gets to have a record of their first time that isn't a shitty porn?" She right clicked the sound wave on the program, delete highlighted for them, but paused for an answer.

     "If we break up you will destroy it! No one sees this. I sound so dumb," Ruby gave her terms, feeling defeated. She hugged her seated partner from behind, arms wrapped right under her breasts and head dropped into her neck. The embarrassment never ended.

     "I promise. I don't want anyone hearing it but me, I'll kill anyone who tries," Weiss half joked, kissing her partner on the side of the head, "Will you feel better if we get back to cuddling?"

     "And the movie," Ruby demanded.

     "After school. I can't let you fail everything, dolt," Weiss agreed, scratching her partner's head as she did so. Yet, again, to ruin everything, a knock at the door cut off their future cuddling short.

     Weiss practically exploded, "Unless this is Ms. Goodwitch, go away!"

     "Rubes, I know you're in there!" Yang. _Yang_. _Yang Xiao Long_.

     "Yang!" Ruby shot to the door, almost opening it before Weiss yanked her away.

     "Ruby, we're naked!" she both whispered and yelled right into her ear. Took Ruby a second to register that she even cared. Not like Yang hadn't seen her in the nude as a kid before, really she'd be more annoyed that she saw Weiss. If annoyed could be used to describe any emotion she felt towards her missing sister.

     "Yang wait a minute, just a minute!" Ruby called out throwing her top on and pants, not even bothering with the underwear, she didn't have the time. Weiss tried to match her expediency, but didn't skip the lesser clothing fragments. She wasn't about to look even more shabby on Yang's account. By the end they both were dressed messes, Ruby more than Weiss.

     "Yang!" Ruby shouted again, opening to reveal her big sister. She looked sleep deprived, and a bit messy, clearly not stopping for a long while till she got there. Ruby didn't care. She god damn tackled her, the golden girl picking her up and twirling her about. This was the best day ever.

     "Oh Rubes, I missed you so much!" Yang cried out in joy. Glynda was watching, clearly wanting a word with her student assistant who dropped off the face of the map. Still, she waited, letting them have a moment first. Weiss though, clicked her tongue in irritation, glaring at Yang with a lot of anger pointed like a red hot spear ready to go.

     "You have a problem, princess?" Yang started, pulling Ruby away. They both had a bone to pick it seemed. Not good.

     "Yes, I do," Weiss shot back, arms crossed, head held up high against a girl that looked like she could crush her. "Ruby lost her mother, you think she has enough feelings of abandonment without you leaving her without a word for a fucking road trip?"

     "Oh, queen of snarky shit lords, don't even start with me," Yang countered, squaring right up against her opponent, unafraid of Weiss, "I had some shit I had to deal with so I could be back. I wanted Ruby to come, but instead I hear you decided to move in like a shark smelling blood!"

     "Ruby asked me out, and so what if I actually cared enough to be there for her? You certainly didn't." Yang's eyes seemed to turn a red from violet, damn near ready to pop a blood vessel.

     "I don't know what Ruby sees in you, but all I see is a short little gremlin that needs to back off!"

     "And what look up to you? A brute that can't even get her own shit together?" Weiss was spitting heavy venom, "You know what I think? You know damn well I'm a better role model than you!"

     "Well, I think you're a bitch!"

     "Well, I fucked your sister!" Yang took a step forward, arm slowly pulling back, she was going to straight up hit her.

     "Stop, both of you!" Ruby shouted so loud Glynda dropped something, "You are both the most important people in my life and you both are here for me now! It's over, now get along!" Both of the girls froze, neither looking at each other, both finding some place on the floor to glare.

     "I'll be nice," Weiss mumbled to Ruby, as close to an apology as anyone was going to get from her. Yang took a deep breath, not able to manage an 'I'm sorry' either, simply shrugging and letting the cool headed approach stick.

     "Alright," Yang agreed, "I'll make it up to you two. Lunch on me?"

     "Sorry, I just ate," Weiss replied sarcastically, lighting Ruby's face on fire. Yang was mortified.

     "Can you please not?!" Ruby felt so awkward she chuckled, laughed even. Yang was back, she was home. The house wasn't going to be empty, she could have something, something not taken forever. This was a perfect day.

     "Yang, oh my god, I just, I missed you so much!" Ruby tackled her sister again, with no intent to let go.

     "I did, too. I am so sorry, Rubes, I had to give up my phone, mom was afraid I'd break if I texted you or Blake. I'm sorry," Yang pleaded, clutching her little sister like she would fade if she didn't.

     "It's okay, this is the best day of my life," Ruby admitted to the world, looking to both her favorite people. Summer gone, it was like the foundation of the world was kicked out from under her, but there, she found new people, new opportunities. Yang was going nowhere, and Weiss, never a replacement, was a wonderful new start. When that girl, perfect even with her hair messy from sweat, rolled her eyes in annoyance, Ruby knew exactly how to make her happy. "And yes, for two reasons, Weiss."

     "Ew, can we please, please stop it with that!" Yang pleaded.

     "We can still have lunch after, all together!" Ruby stated and asked all at once.

     "Yeah, fine," Weiss gave in.

     "For you," Yang did the same.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***Well that probably came as a bit of a surprise to the readers, Archive folks knew from the tags, but yeah wanted to write a sex scene for a few reasons, one it's new for me to write about and try my hand at, two I wanted to make it more real and not in the least prony, three I get to yell at you all about safer sex practices! Just cause lesbian sex has comparably low STI rates does not guarantee safety, use protection for safer sex and lube for easier sex! All in all had a blast writing it. I decided to change this to M for this scene of course, though it's not graphic and is something you'd find in a YA novel, I just wanna be fair.
> 
> Special thanks to LazyKatze again for her edits and help making this chapter, she's amazing and helped out throughout. Easily my best bud. Also small thanks to majisuka on tumblr, she helped with the tattoo placement. She's a pretty fab artist and writer, check her out.
> 
> For the choice facto today, the first two line ever written for choice was in fact the line Yang: "Well you're a bitch," Weiss: "Well I fucked your sister" part from this chapter. In Fact it's questionable which idea came first, the college au idea, or the sex comeback.


	17. The River She Chose

**Ruby Rose**

    "Paris, I have to say, is lovely, but the most overrated city in Europe. Sure, they have their cute boys, but that's practically useless to you! I say you stick to your natural calling: German women," Yang joked as they abandoned Bumblebee by the house. The two of them decided they needed time alone together, devoid of interlopers. It was dusk now, dinner would be rushed as they got through the door, Envida and Taiyang would swarm the two of them, and it would be hours till it really got to be just them. Yang decided against that, she wanted to show Ruby something, and she was hardly one to deny.

     "Did you spend your entire trip looking at boys?" Ruby questioned, walking down the gravel pathway beside the lone road that cut through the outer village. Here the sea was just peeking into their vision from the cliff face their town rested on. It dumped a vibrant orange streak across their path, the sun's final light reflected around them in tinted waves.

     "No," Yang defined, twirling herself around to walk neatly backwards, "I watch for girls as well and everything in between, little sister." Despite being flipped, they were still matched for speed, Ruby trusting Yang didn't need to see for where they were headed. A village has few paths after all.

     "What was the most beautiful city then?" Ruby asked, mainly to keep up the conversation. She never needed to travel the world with how vivid Yang told her tales, though Ruby thought it might be fun, take on the Earth a little more, together. Perhaps with Weiss.

     "Venice," Yang replied, voice sounding distracted, but not for long. Her smile twitched, but momentarily found itself pulled back up as they approached the town center. The sound of the creek slicing through the hills on its way with the main Vale river could be heard approaching, buildings now on either side.

     "Did you like it?" Ruby asked, not thinking much of it, more focused on not tripping as the gravel sidewalk became a cobbled path.

     "I hated every second of it," Yang answered, turning back around, not even a little tripped up as the street rose to meet her. "No hot people, I guess, or at least," she paused, caught on what lie to tell, defaulting, tired, and far too drained, Yang tried honesty. "It's Blake's home. It reminded me of her, made me walk around angry, ya know Rubes? Couldn't love it even if it lived up to every one of her stories." All because they were precisely that, _her_ stories.

     "She's missed you, asks about you a lot, but I didn't really have much to tell her," Ruby admitted, happy Yang said anything at all. She built these walls made of pure 'I don't care' and smiles, rarely did she let those gates open, and never if someone forced their way in.

     "I don't know, Rubes," Yang admitted, hands placed in her jacket pockets, expression invisible to the sister, a mass of yellow hair in the way, not to mention the actual head. "I'm kind of on the dumber side of love, I'm more a heart breaker than a heart maker, ya know? I need tips on how to swoon rich girls from you!"

     "Yang, I don't think you need tips about anything from me. You're the cool one, if anything I need a little you to not mess this up," Ruby dared to question. After all it was Yang who was everything: strong, popular, beautiful, funny, and actually a hell of a lot smarter than anyone gave her credit for. Hearing that, the older girl's lips pulled into a smile, but her eyes didn't shine, settling for a disheartening mellow.

     "Don't be me," Yang stated, slowing as they matched the river. She did so with no hint of emotion, more like a command a manager dispassionately give to their lessor. Like it was suppose to be obvious. To Ruby, it was not.

     "Why?" she puzzled aloud, "Yang, I've looked up to you my whole life. I always wanted to be like you: strong, myself, and just," the last word stuck in her throat, too embarrassing to really say, too close to hero worship, "Driven." _No,_ Ruby admitted to herself only, _I wish I was like you because, Yang, you're unstoppable._

     "I've _driven_ my life directly into a ditch. Being strong-willed is only as good as your ideas, little sis." The opening square was coming soon, Ruby knew there wouldn't be much reason to go further, wherever Yang wanted to be, it was close. "My stubbornness is the root of everything. All or nothing, right? Be champion, or don't try. Be loved day one or drop them. Get exactly what you want or torch it all behind you. I burned too bright, and dreamed too big."

     "Yang," Ruby replied, just barely above a whisper. This was alien, this was not her sister, her confidant, her unbound, unbroken, and unbeatable big sister. This was something else. Yang wouldn't look back at her, the older girl comfortably making her way to the center of the village plaza, one of the only restaurants still serving, their drunks inside and meals outside. Yang waved to one of the waiters, and sat herself. Ruby did the same right across from her on the partnered stool, a simple wooden table between them. Ruby could see her sister's eyes; they were the darkest violet Ruby had ever witnessed.

     "Ruby, I had to face some facts out there, be real, which I am not exactly keen on. I'm good, damn good, but being a champion means being the best, and I'm not the best," Yang clarified, quick to hide her gloved hands in the pockets of her jacket. A grimace marred her face in a way Ruby just could not stand, and she couldn't seem to find her sister's eyes. Embarrassed.

     "Are you giving up on kickboxing?" Ruby asked beside herself. When Yang lost the finals, it wasn't the first setback she had ever had. The girl was beaten gold, formed from a lot of losses, that's what she always said, what Ruby always emulated. "You always tell me to not give up on my dreams, now you're saying just throw it all away? This isn't you, Yang!"

     "That's kinda the point, Rubes, me fucked up everything," the older girl laughed while her sister frowned, "And I didn't say give up. I can't. Kickboxing is me, fighting is me, but there is more than one way to climb a mountain. I can't smash through this wall, or at least I need to be ready if it stops me. I can't be a dreamer all my life. If I want to live being me, I need to find a realistic way to do it. Or something. My mom's way better at talking about this stuff than me." Yang punctuated with a shake of her golden curls, arching back in her stool.

     "Your mom's cool," Ruby agreed, feeling relief. Envida was strict, and to her, definitely not her mom, but didn't need to be. Envida was an adult to look up to and respect.

     "My mom is a badass," Yang commented with a smile, "just took me twenty something years to realize just how much. She's a master of climbing mountains." The waiter stole Yang's attention, a young man of tan complexion and uncomfortable awkwardness, but that was normal for people who spoke to Yang. She ordered for both of them in a few Spanish phrases, something Ruby was use to after their months together.

     "So, same thing with Blake," Ruby asked for all three of them. The Italian queen of the dorms was distraught, and after all they were classmates, she had been nice to the redhead for no real reason. Without really knowing what was going on between them, Ruby got the jist. They were both falling for each other so fast they accidentally butted heads on the way down. "Figure an alternative approach, or some other stuff?"

     "I don't know, things are weird," Yang answered honestly, eyes diverting towards the distant burned down church. In the dawn light it looked even more beautiful, the last bit of orange coloring its graceful decline. "You know the first time we kissed was in that church? We were both drinking, I don't think she remembers, but I do. It was like a friend kiss then, just a peck, least I thought so. Now it's all messy."

     "I'm not saying it's the end all, but I do know you mean a lot to her," Ruby offered up for her friend, but that was all, "and no matter what happened you can talk to me about it. I'm here for you, even if it's not going to paint her in the best light." Yang came first. End of story.

     "Cute," the older sister noted, reaching over the table to mess with the little one's hair, the younger of course struggled, but the eldest won out, "I'm going to see her tomorrow. One way or another, it's going to get resolved, but I don't know if it's gonna be all rainbows and make up sex after." Ruby turned a touch red, sex being a bit of a hot button topic from today's events. Yang in reply faked a gag. "So I suppose I should ask how you and bitch face are getting along?"

     "She is not a bitch face, okay? Weiss is actually super cool if you get to know her." How to explain the Schnee girl to people was an enigma akin to describing to someone a new color, or the shape of a four dimensional cube, or the taste of a B sharp. It wasn't something you could explain. Except unlike all the others, she was real, and her affect on Ruby was profound. "You all think she, like, bullies me, but it's not like that. Honestly, she builds me up, gives me confidence, pulls me back together without treating me like I'm broken and need pity. She makes me feel like a kid again one second, and ready to be an adult the next. I can't explain it, Yang, but it's awesome."

     "Alright," Yang gave, pausing only a second to think, like the words dripping from Ruby's mouth actually made any freaking sense. "I don't get her, but I get that. If she makes you happy, she makes you happy." Yang smiled, confident in her assessment. "If not, we'll see how she talks shit with no fucking teeth."

     "Yang," Ruby groaned, elongating the name as she dropped her head to the table, defeated.

     "What, I said if dude! I'm not going to hit her while she's your girlfriend!" Yang defended herself with a knowing smile and an admirable arm. She was unashamed of showing off her guns if it meant proving there was more than words to that.

     "Can we please, like, not assume the worst case? I'm already bad at making friends, I don't really think I can pull of rolling into a relationship with another super awesome girl who actually thinks I'm also super awesome. I'm still not sure how I tricked her into believing in me." Ruby chuckled to ease the tension, as did her sister. Though Yang did so with a nod.

     "There's a lot to believe in. I remember a little Ruby who knew she could take on the world," Yang reminisced, lilac eyes looking back while sitting still.

     "Yeah well, that little Ruby was a hyper little nerd, so I realized some stuff," Ruby sighed, wishing she had a bit of her innocence from before, sureness in what she was doing, _anything_ , "I'm so in doubt about if I can even survive as a writer that I haven't picked a program, much less taking on the world stuff."

     "Ruby, don't be me, pick something you like, even if it's not creative writing. Maybe get a doctorate in lit? Teach or something? Just don't pick something dumb," Yang argued from a surprisingly realist position. That trip had changed her, changed something deep in there. Ruby could feel it.

     "Well, I don't think I'll be doing culinary, don't worry," Ruby joked on time with the food, a plate full of tapas, a tasty blend of appetizers they could stuff themselves on before dinner proper, more for the endless maw that was Yang. "I wish I could ask Summer, mom always knew what to tell me." Mother always knew best, or knew how to make it sound real. With her, nothing was doubtful. A blissful illusion.

     "You don't need to, I know exactly what she'd say," Yang muttered, almost as close to Summer as Ruby. They were both her little girls. "You can do it Rubbles, you can run circles around the world." For a moment, paused between bites of seafood appetizers, Ruby swore she heard her mother speaking.

     "Is that what Yang thinks?" The question froze them both, the newfound wisdom possessed by her older sister didn't allow for such neat answers. That's what made it valuable.

     "Yang thinks," she breathed between words, not letting herself choke on the truth, the new golden girl wasn't about that. "Only you know if you can make it. I know you got talent, and I will support you with Dad, but it's hard, and that's your reality to face." Yang had a familiar expression, but this new way of thinking wasn't just her, it carried something she discovered out there, something new, vagabonds _can_ learn new tricks it seemed. "But I do think you could give the world a run for it's money." They both smiled.

     "You know," Ruby laughed, remembering herself only a few months back, "That's exactly what Weiss said."

* * *

     "You sure you don't want me to help you like pack, or whatever?" Ruby asked, unwilling to cross the threshold into Weiss' room without her express permission even if the door was left open and her girlfriend made no suggestions that she was unwelcome.

     "It's fine," Weiss argued, tossing a folded white dress shirt in her bag with a tie. That sort of traditional boys' dress clothes on her was an interesting thought, one Ruby was def upset about missing, "It'll be the same as last time. Father last minute says he's coming to Spain basically means he's going to the Schnee Spain Offices in Madrid and that's where he will expect me with all new fresh business acumen from school."

     "That might've been true if a single one of your program classes wasn't gen ed," Ruby muttered, comfortable with her enough to poke the fire breathing dragon. Weiss took exception to this, stopping at the door to snatch Ruby by the chin. Snappy, but not forceful, she held the redhead's face in her grip to better stare her down with fifty caliber capable blue eyes.

     "Stop trying to be cute and spend time with your friends already," Weiss demanded, reaching out her neck to give Ruby a quick peck on the cheek before letting go. "I can't imagine Penny wants to sit in my room and watch us do what we do. I might be ambitious, but I'm not cruel." She turned away toward her clothing sets leaving Ruby to stand idle, blushing, and baited for her return.

     "I," Ruby started, catching herself before she gave out her new secret. It wasn't the right time. She needed it to be in stone before telling Weiss. She needed it on file. "Text me, okay? Nora, Penny, and I are going to, well I have no idea, whatever we do! But I got my phone!"

     Weiss shook her head, lifting up her own phone as an agreement while she worked. "Now get the hell out of my face and close the door, christ." Both of them were smiling.

     "You ready to go, friend?" was Penny's first question as she walked away from the familiar dorm bedroom. It was getting harder and harder to tear herself away from Weiss' place, from her spaces, from her body. What the heck was she suppose to do without her however long her family kept her? Starvation and thirst all at once, what the hell did she do to her?

     "One more thing, I got to see Glynda." Still time went on, Ruby still had her prime concern to take care of. The choice that had been haunting her since she walked away from the funeral and began filling out the morbid forms to detail her new life. The one thing she left blank. The choice she never made. Yang was right, it was time to make it, make any choice at all. It was time to roll the die.

     "Glynda?" Ruby asked, entering the de facto office area. She hadn't heard the familiar jabbering of Dutch from Nora and the professor's occasional chit chats until passing the frame. Luckily the one she was walking into was happening to end, with the little ginger leaving with a smile and the older woman sitting back, exhausted, but happy. Her little space was neat like its owner, the coloring a white with accented purple just as she dressed, a regal atmosphere clearly.

     "Miss Rose, I'm surprised to see you. Struggling with the Spanish homework?" Glynda less asked than stated as fact. Ruby shook her head, not because she was wrong, totally right on about the untouched homework, but something bigger was on Ruby's mind. Something that scared her still, dried her mouth, and quaked her hands. Still, she had to, had to at least start.

     "Professor Goodwitch, I was hoping to finalize my program." Ruby's throat sealed up right as the words escaped. Glynda leaded back surprised, but withheld her comments, taking a moment to brush hair from her eyes and realize this was real.

     "Alright," Glynda finally started, breathing for the both of them, "Which program did you want to pursue?" That was the real question, wasn't it? The haunting little issue. The program decided her future, or what future she was to try for. Some had urged her to be practical, others to be ambitious, and the last one, Yang, to be both. This truth forced Ruby awake all night, left her tired and drained, and despite knowing it wasn't truly final, it felt like deciding to gamble on if she could even get in the prison she picked.

     "Creative writing and literature studies." Ruby didn't know how she managed to say it, make it real. She still didn't believe in herself, but she believed in Weiss. She didn't know if this was sane, but knew Yang, who seemed to think she still had options. All the people in the world whom believed in Ruby were the ones who decided this.

     Ruby wasn't sure if she could be a writer, but now, she would try.

     "Alright," Glynda replied again, this time smiling. She pulled out forms, a catalogue, a list of papers in Spanish of course. "Go home, fill this out with your father or sister, and bring it back whenever you're ready. After all, your courses won't change until next semester.

     "Alright," Ruby quoted her professor, taking the papers.

     This was it, Ruby was going to be a writer, careful to study lit if she couldn't, or burn up if neither. Suddenly, her heart regained function and blood began to pump once more.

* * *

     "We need to party!" Nora demanded, her backwards walking on the street curb edge balanced by outstretched arms and classic gymnastic skills. Ruby kept up, hands warmed in her hoodie, moving down the slow city street, no real reason motivating the direction her feet clobbered along. Penny kept close, but off to herself, eyes bright green and filled with cheer, content to play her part as just a friend, something Ruby would always be thankful for. The redhead squad was still strong.

     "No, no, no, I just picked a program, it's not even official yet!" Ruby argued, cutting between a pair of local city dwellers, "plus my ride's almost here." Nora groaned, annoyed at this truth.

     "You know what we've never done?" Penny piped up as they crossed in front of a massive city church. All of them stopped in front of this catholic house of God, awaiting the quieter girl's sudden realization. Normally when Ruby heard one of her friends start like that a series of panic lights flared up, death con four was called, and emergency procedures began. With Penny though, it was different. She, dressed in her simple green overalls dress and a warm scarf, seemed completely innocent of everyone else's machinations. "We should have a slumber party!"

     "We live in the same dorm," Nora reminded them with a chuckle. Penny though, she was unphased, happy smile gracing her lips.

     "Not Ruby," she answered simply, wagging her finger. Ruby Rose readied herself for nervous panic, but nothing came. There was peace beneath the church door, a wooden behemoth the size of three men. There was no unrest knowing they would see her strange not-family family, that dad would likely go out of his way to embarrass her, a odd not-mother figure to confuse them, and a famous and troubled sister to disturb all three. There was a calm afforded by basic insurance that, yeah, she had friends. Yang back, Weiss with her, school being set up. Finally felt like her feet were planted in something firm. Something ancient. Something that could keep her up so long as the wind didn't blow too hard. Having Penny and Nora over, that wouldn't knock over a damn thing.

     "So what do you say? We celebrate at your house? This weekend," Penny added, snapping them all into the now as a calm breeze swept through them and chilled their bodies. Maybe that was what turned her ears red, but Ruby thought she must be embarrassed, still a little ashamed of her rejection. "If Weiss is okay with me being over of course."

     "She'll have to be," Ruby answered without a single hitch, "You're my best friend, Penny. Weiss gets that. I know she will." There was trust between the two, nothing a sleepover could send tumbling into the dirt. Penny broke into a smile, big and goofy, teeth shining white, a counter to the famously inept British dentistry.

     "So!" Nora called out from behind Ruby, jumping her tiny body on the girl's back. "When are we doing this? I don't know if I can do it tonight, I'm pretending to be bad at math so Ren will teach me." Ruby nearly felt herself go tumbling into the stone church steps had she not braced herself a second before. Nora was dangerous.

     "I think it would have to be the weekend. Yang takes me to school and the bike only fits two. Three if we got creative in ways I don't think Weiss would be cool with," Ruby half joked. Honestly, being jammed up in Nora's cleavage as they coupled on the bike didn't sound like fun for anyone. Not to mention the probability of killing each other on every bump.

     "How about this weekend?" Penny offered, choosing to sit on one of the steps, the clock tower providing a touch of cover from the late sun. While it might be cold, the ginger pack all knew they were not meant to walk amongst the living in direct sunlight. This was their stopping point.

     "Oh cool, we should invite the boys and play some inappropriate twister! You can bring Weiss of course and have a private lesbian game while I hook up with our precious little one." Nora stared at Penny with hungry predatory eyes. The whole love triangle debacle, while short lived hadn't slowed the Dane even an inch. In a way that was how she showed affection, even if Penny's expression cried out for a hero strong enough to repel Nora.

     "I don't think I can have guys over." Ruby didn't know if she lied or not. Summer always trusted her, and Yang probably broke their father of any attempts at control. Still, she couldn't let Penny drown out there.

     "You're 18 and gay, what would you even do? Compare notes?" Penny argued, accurately. Though, Weiss probably could give better suggestions than any of the boys in their dorm. Maybe even the school. Suddenly the line of thought turned inappropriate and Ruby found herself blushing. _Too much Rubes, keep it clean_.

     "I don't really want anything like that, I'd rather know a guy for a while before I date him," Penny practically begged, awkwardly waving her hands no, "Really I'd rather have perfectly normal, all ages, innocent twister. Just friends," she paused looking to Ruby as if with a question, "Weiss can still come, though."

     Ruby smiled, knowing Penny cared, but it was fine. Taking only a second to text Envida her location, she sat down beside her friend, leaning back against the ice cold white stone. "It's okay. She might be in Madrid, actually. She's off to see her dad, but I'll let her know. Thank you, Penny."

     "You sure Weiss' isn't into like polyamorous stuff, because I still think you two are cute," Nora muttered as she collapsed into their laps. Ruby rolled her eyes and slapped the girl's stomach in retort, her soft vest draining the blow greatly. Together, tangled in a mess, the three of them joked, complained, and lived.

     Some time later Envida came up with the car, nodding to the three girls and offering the rest a ride to the uni, not far away, but still a walk. Freedom from the autumn, now turning into winter air, was enough to motivate all of them into the car. The last few minutes of their time together covered such subjects as diverse as trained manservants, the actual practicality of RPG style monster hunting, and the feasibility of home made dental dams, all thanks to Nora. Envida remained a good sport, only groaning slightly at Nora's assurance that she was an expert in all things she'd never done.

     Once the two of them were dropped off the sky became cloudy, but not unpleasantly so, and all sound drained from the vehicle. It wasn't awkward or unwelcome. If anything, Ruby enjoyed it. She could think back to the fun she had had with her friends, and future adventures she awaited. Other passing thoughts like what it meant to sign the papers in her tossed off backpack or if she could even know. The future was so off in the distance. Mom's death showed her the vainness in predicting it, yet Yang taught her the foolishness in ignoring it. Somewhere in between, staring out into the ocean as raindrops began to fall, Ruby put herself in the river she chose, but wasn't going to plan endlessly around it. Maybe for the first time in forever. Ruby considered that Summer might be proud of her daughter. Proud she learned something, maybe. Made something, maybe. Didn't break, maybe.

     That thought granted unspeakable peace, and Ruby sighed out a thick, smoky, inkish doubt that had choked her lungs. She texted Weiss a quick 'how are you?', closed her eyes, and drifted off for the drive, the raindrops smashing against the car top providing her an A-flat rhythm to whisk her to sleep.

* * *

     "Ruby, Hija, get up, we're here." Ruby's eyes blurred open to see a darkened sky with a not unpleasant rain. It coated the village stone fencing, turning it a darker and more muted color along with the grass. The animals normally loud throughout the community were silent. The repeated thumping somehow making it quieter of all things.

     Outside the house was shining, lights on, and noisey talking audible, but not parseable from where they parked. By the road, pelted with raindrops that only made the paint job look sleeker, was an Audi way too fancy for Ruby to recognize. "You're father's meeting with a client. Make sure to be polite. Presentation's a big thing in his line of work."

     "Is it not in yours?" Ruby joked, considering all jobs to fall under the 'don't be an ass or you'll lose clients' section of the economy. Envida laughed at this as she opened the door, exposing herself to the elements.

     "I'm a web developer. We can not be, uh, bothered to deal with people, much less be nice." Ruby loved seeing the snarky Envida, the mother that clearly left a deep impression on Yang. They were getting along better, and Ruby was learning to like the independent minded adult in her life. Plus she knew how to dye hair into black silk, something Ruby intended to leverage.

     Walking out of the car, the hoodie absorbed the bulk of the rainfall that even considered falling on her. She took no rush to getting her things, tossing the thin strapped red and black sack over her shoulder, loose as she walked through the front yard.

     Closer to the entrance, Envida opened the door, freeing the rapid fire language from inside. Ruby recognized her father's voice, but not the other, both speakers talking too quick and in untainted Cantonese. The only thing she could tell for sure was both of them thought whatever it was utterly hilarious.

     "I'm home!" Ruby called out, silencing the two of them mid sentence. It was about the last thing she meant to do. Earning a, not anger, but mildly disappointed expression on Envida's face, only chuckling from her father to soften the blow.

     "Rubes! Come in, I want you to meet our guest!" Taiyang replied in cheery English, clearly excited enough. Ruby spared a moment to toss her bag towards the basement stairs and kick her sneakers into the corner. By the time Ruby made it into the living room, Envida was shaking hands with this stranger, obscuring her view of him for a brief moment. "And there she is, my other baby girl, Ruby Rose."

     "Hello Ruby!" she recognized him. She had never seen him, but recognized everything about him and how none of it fit quite right. He was tall, despite her expectations, dressed well in a fine suit to match an impressive, if skinny form, that matched said expectations. Ruby was intimately familiar with his silver spun strands of hair that only were out-whited by his clear, near ivory teeth, shown in a bright smile bordered by a finely kept beard that wrapped around his lips and chin so neatly. And oh, Ruby knew his blue eyes, she knew them so well in frighteningly intimate ways. Yet here these eyes weren't right. They weren't frozen over blue, hidden or serious. These water eyes were bright, glowing azure, so happy, so friendly. Weiss's eyes felt wrong on his face. "My name is William Schnee. I'm Weiss' father and I'm so excited to meet you!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First things first, I want to apologize for how long it's been since the last chapter. Not to get into detail, but I had a bit of a hard time dealing with a fit of depression, but that's over for now, and I intend to finish choice proper up before the end of October on a one chapter per week base!
> 
> Thanks again to LazyKatze for her support through all of this and in other things. She's a life saving through and through.
> 
> When Envida was first designed she and Ruby were to have a much more toxic relationship, her name meaning Envy was suppose to support the image of her as an antagonist, however quickly I decided this was cliche and exactly what everyone would expect, instead she was made to be more three dimensional, not a mother replacement, but a positive adult influence, which worked nicely with the retrofitting of Raven. Her name was kept however, as a red herring.


	18. Coffee with Strangers

**Blake Belladonna**

     "I could do your shift," Blake offered over the counter towards the conversation Fox and Coco were failing to have discretely. The young Spanish waiter lit up bright with a smile, but the manager's groan cut him right short. Behind sunglasses, black as the pit of her vengeful soul, Blake knew she had upset a demon.

     "Like hell you will! You have too many hours already, I won't be paying you overtime!" Blake figured it was approaching that. Ever since the Vytal Festival it was nothing but begging, _pleading_ for hours. It wasn't even the money, it was just the work. The plodding monotony that demanded all her focus and time. She could pour beers for others instead of needing one for herself. Think about patrons' orders not the strength of Yang's borders. Mr. Port had taken to these requests well, giving her hours she could only ever dream of, topping over 40 weekly. He paid her with a jolly smile, but Blake's manager did not share her father's pleasant view of this new workaholic lifestyle. Even though it seemed like those sunglasses should make her blind in this light, Coco seemed to see right through Blake.

     "You don't need to pay me overtime, it's not like I'm going to file a complaint against you if you don't," Blake argued, not caring much about the money. Working without stop had built her a decent savings in a short span and lived with a lack of free time to spend it on much of anything.

     "Oh, I should say so!" Coco lied as it was her custom, brushing the colored twirl of hair behind her ear as she did. "Committing a crime to give you more hours, nothing morally or responsibly bankrupt about that idea, don't you agree, Velvet?"

     The usually quiet and calmly tempered Australian roommate nodded her head in agreement. The pair had formed into a team of worrywarts and nosy Nancies, unhinging Blake's beloved and barely benign borderline self-destruction. "Blake, you can't keep doing this. You hardly rest, and don't lie about it, we sleep in the same room."

     Blake just twitched behind the bar bench, hands stalling in their task to wash the wood. She knew her expression was giving Velvet an unfair grimace, the girl was just trying to be reasonable, to pull Blake out of her self-imposed exile. One issue, she was not done dancing in the dark. "So I read a lot. I was always nocturnal, Velvet. I work in a god damn bar after all! At twenty I don't need you babysitting me. I got this."

     "It's not a bar, it's a pub," Coco grumbled back, tensing up immediately. This was some insult apparently, though Blake in all her life of travels and adventures, could not honestly fathom the difference.

     Jaune approached the heavy gathering with no sense of subtly, hands in his blue jeans, a surprisingly muscular guy hidden under his white-yellow striped shirt and a meek disposition. He was going to get eaten alive. "Coco, I was hoping you could—"

     "Lad, you need to sit right back down, you know?" the manager muttered just loud enough to send a shiver down the pub's wooden spine. Jaune stood still, afraid motion would excite whatever eyes hid behind those dark glasses. Blake was the only one unafraid, and she saw an opportunity.

     "What's wrong, Coco, you have a patron? We're both on the clock, aren't we?" Blake spun her web, casting her in a shell of a commitment. The brunette clenched her jaw tight, like she had Blake's head between her teeth. This would end badly later, but for now, it was a shot towards freedom.

     "Fine," Coco muttered, fixing her beret so as not to admit defeat in a state less than positively fabulous, "Both of you get to work, and Fox, you sit right still. Blake's not taking your shift. Got it?" Fox sweat, Jaune shook, and Blake chuckled, silently of course. She enjoyed what victories she could get.

     "If you're working, can I get a Coca-Cola?" Velvet's familiar voice pulled Blake away from her momentary win, an unpleasant reminder that for every friend she shook off, another person cared too damn much.

     "Yeah, of course," Blake replied, pulling a glass bottle from underneath the bar and popping the top off in one swift motion. Honestly, there was no staying angry with Velvet. She was sweet and, dressed in a brown hoodie and a little skirt with warm leggings, she looked like a petite bunny just trying to do what's right. There was no kicking her way. She was and always would be someone Blake never treated quite the way she deserved.

     "Blake, I don't know how to say it any other way, but I'm worried about you." Velvet was never one for beating around bushes, she hopped right into the subject, her cool headed voice softly hit the mark. "I don't understand. You wanted to put some space between yourself and Yang, now that she's left. It's like she took you with her." Velvet certainly did hit that mark, even if in a more unfortunate manner than the young girl had hoped. Yang's shroud of heart entrapping air was suppose to go away when she did. Instead, when the miasma cleared and left her in the street, butt on the pavement, hand on her chest, but no heart beating beneath, the feeling didn't change. This was not the plan.

     "I thought," Blake started, not really knowing where the truth sat, "I thought it was what I wanted, but I feel like. I feel like I missed something. There is like a solid mass weighing down on my stomach, and it won't go away till I do something. I can't till she's back. So for now I work."

     "There is more to your life than Yang," Velvet offered, reaching her hand out, warming to Blake. The touch was nice, friendly, not even demanding, but there was another note to that. More than an innocent statement. A hope Velvet held far too long and Blake ignored way too much. She was right, life was way too big to be all about Yang, even if she felt like it all the time. Velvet just wasn't the right piece to fit that same space.

     "And there should be so much more to your life than me," Blake countered, grabbing back on her friend's hands. Velvet got the message, her eyes watered, and tears calmly traced down her pale cheeks. "I'm sorry Velv, don't wait for me to be better. Be happy," Blake added, squeezing that hand, pulling Velvet back to their world. She shook a little, emotions running hard in her body.

     "I don't know how when you're miserable," she answered one of the conversation's dual meanings. Even if it was from the wrong person, Blake felt a great deal of warmth knowing someone cared about her so immensely.

     "I'll be okay. I really have been through worse. Velv, I promise I'll be okay." Blake believed that. As dark and intense as these things are, one day Yang would be back. They would face whatever ruined them, and if she got her heart broken, Blake would live the stray life again. It wasn't impossible. "How about if sometime we binge watch an anime of your choice, just to give us both much needed rest?" It wouldn't be as good as work, but it would be something for them both.

     "Okay," Velvet muttered, hiding the tiniest of sobs. Their hands departed and a comfortable silence replaced the tense conversation for a brief moment, giving the brunette time to dry her eyes. "But I'm going to pick something dumb and cheesy and you are going to hate me," Velvet joked, making both of them crack a genuine smile.

     "I've seen K-On!, there is nothing you can put me through that I have not already done to myself." The proper air filled the room, Blake got to mixing a drink that was needed, Coco was coming back to chew everyone in the pub out in a moment, all things were normal.

     Then Yang Xiao Long walked through the door.

     No one said anything, but sure as hell anyone that was there that night stopped and turned to look, petrified by her gaze. Unable or unwilling to be awkward, that beautiful golden girl struck a small pose leaning against the doorway with a smile. "Hey guys."

     Yang was beautiful. Whatever scars from the crash Ruby had mentioned were gone, her skin retaining its slightly tan and cruelly perfect complexion. Of course she dressed beautifully as well, dark tan jacket with rolled up sleeves that showed off the chest the way she liked to, dark black short skirt that matched her dark black leggings. The added touch of leather fingerless gloves were both fashion and evidence of her own ride. Of course her blonde locks were long and unchecked, of course she walked in like she owned the place, of course her velvet eyes traveled the short distance to Blake, of course she began to walk that way, and of course Blake could breath again. Breathe in that thick miasmic want.

     "Blake, you're getting those hours you wanted so badly. Fox you're clocked in, starting now, Blake you're off and taking that shift. Even." No one was arguing with Coco, Blake was barely paying attention to her. Yang was coming her way, swaying her hips back and forth in a hypnotizing and harmonic metronome. "Fox, get behind that bar and Blake, get the hell out!" Coco shouted, snapping both of them awake. Fox jumped to the other side, sliding over the top. Blake tried not to look hurried, lifting the bar and walking out without a rush. She was already feeling self conscious, aware she was just in black jeans, a white dress shirt, but nothing snappy, nothing that might distract from the tired bags under her eyes.

     "Hey, Blake." Yang was on them before Blake could even think to worry if her makeup wasn't a lazy mess from this morning. She froze as Yang stopped only a few feet infront of her, smiling, arms down, non-threatening. Blake could not mutter a reply.

     "She's off, so you know," Coco answered for her. Yang smiled hearing that, Coco did as well. Velvet stayed away and the rest of the college corner awaited something, evidence that they were allowed to dismiss for the day without missing a touch of drama.

     "Where the hell did you go?" Blake surprised herself once she actually found some words to say. Harsh, but true to her. The question that haunted her still. Velvet had no answers, Ruby had no answers, not even Taiyang, or at least nothing he would say.

     "Somewhere else," Yang muttered, a little taken aback by the directness of Blake's question. It was intense in a way that contained some distant familiarity, the way they use to speak a year ago. "I checked out, I guess, traveled for a bit. Blake?" Yang seemed to ask, though it lacked the core of a question.

     "Yes?" Blake replied, unaware of what she wanted. The young bartender wanted this to reach some conclusion, some understanding. To finally clean out the mess last Vytal Festival revealed they were stewing in.

     "Can we talk, like go get some coffee or something?" Yang seemed to contain herself, her attitude tempered a little by whatever stood between then and now. It was strange, how the golden girl was both her and decisively not. Like two people were taking up the one space. Going with her now would be paramount to coffee with strangers. Maybe that was what they needed to be at first. Maybe with so little understanding, they had always been.

     "Coco sent me home for today," Blake answered without answering. Never quite able to drop her mask even when she wanted nothing more than to chase her through the streets.

     "I was going to bust you out of here if she didn't," Yang joked with a smile, her lilac eyes animating in a subtle way, real way. Blake appreciated that she stared at her like that, more so that she didn't even seem to notice Pyrrha was here, and if she did, there was no lilac light for her.

     "You would not have survived the attempt," Blake replied, trying her best not to smile. Yang did that brightly enough for the two of them.

     "I might not be champion anymore, but neither is Coco," Yang countered, flexing an arm in a faux subtle way that only muscled idiots like her cared about. Well, Blake could appreciate those guns in a different way. Her strong limbs could hold like nothing else in their existence, and she could still remember how they felt.

     "Yes, but she cheats," Blake continued the chain, happy for a moment, just to joke like they had before everything went to hell. A brief respite, but eyes were still watching, things still needed to be dragged into light, and they both could use doing that by themselves first. "I assume you have a place in mind?"

     "Absolutely not," Yang mocked with a chuckle, divulging she was as unprepared as ever, "Didn't think you'd actually say yes, but hey. It's Spain. Cafés are matched only with bulls and flamenco dancers for our national exports."

     "Yang, living here two years now I've never seen either bulls or flamenco dancers."

     "But you will see a café." Yang thought she was cute, and she was. Unfortunately.

* * *

     The walked to a suitable café lacked their usual jesting jabs and commentary. Leaving the pub a somber sort of quiet drifted between them. It was awkward, but not awful. Blake found silence a somewhat comforting companion, and as they walked together, passing other families, friends, couples, stores, and cafés, Yang was using this time to think, prepare just as much as Blake was.

     It wasn't until Plaza de Mistral that Yang even began to slow down. Her steps ended outside the Greco-Roman statue, its spear pointed to the low hanging sun, head facing off to the sea. Its marble form almost reminded Blake of a masculine Pyrrha, but she forced those thoughts out of her head, turning away towards Yang whom studied the several competing cafés and restaurants that formed the plaza's stoned in edge.

     "What do you think?" Yang asked as if it even mattered. She was still stalling like a kid.

     "I think you need to stop delaying this," Blake knew to cut through Yang's bullshit. It wasn't out of malice, but two years together taught them both tricks of their opposing trades. "There is a shop a handful of meters from where you're standing, I think this place has about as good a coffee as any other."

     "You're bossy," Yang shot back, half-heartedly. She knew better than to seriously bite back when Blake was right. "I just wanted to get you the perfect coffee, you want something subpar." Yang tried leaned herself against the stone base of the statue for support. The sun light casted her skin in bronze and colored her hair in thicker a glowing gold. Offensively pretty.

     "You and I both know I prefer tea," Blake muttered, realizing she was going to have to make the first move if they were to ever get anywhere. "Here is good enough." Blake walked away knowing, or hoping, Yang would follow. Thankfully she did.

     Blake was quick to find a seat under the shade of one of the café's many cabanas. Yang twirled her stool around backwards, laying her chest against the back, hugging it tightly. Half style, half defense. A young waitress with dyed auburn hair nodded to them as if to acknowledge their seating and that she would be with them soon. Neither of them moved to signal the woman back, eyes locked on each other, no feint disinterest, no shy shots towards the other building corners that encased the square or passersby on their late afternoon soirees. No, it was them.

     "How do we start this?"

     "I don't know, Yang."

     "You're suppose to know things."

     "If I knew everything we wouldn't be fighting." Punctuating with a groan, Blake leaned back, the conversation falling short of anything close to solving the issue ahead of them. Both struggled, tongues moving to say something, but never really forming anything strong enough for sound. Blake almost had a thought before the waitress interrupted, swiftly picking up their similar request for café con leche. Left in silence, both of them twitched in uncomfortably, playing with their fingers, tapping and sighing with unnatural frequency. Blake knew the ball was in her court.

     Yet Yang spoke first. "Before anything else, I want to be clear on something that's still bugging me," Yang turned her head away from Blake, more ashamed than embarrassed, something the golden girl was definitely not accustomed to, or Blake for that matter, "That night. I pushed you. You crossed a lot of lines, but that wasn't okay. I should have never gotten to that point, and I'm sorry for that. Not for what I said, but for what I did." Blake hardly remembered that, it wasn't hard, it caught her off guard at the time, but even then she was far too focused on everything else. The thought Yang even cared about something as small as that made Blake crack a smile, only for a moment.

     "Well, I'm sure my butt appreciates you regret the damage done, but it was hardly anything—"

     "No, it was," Yang cut her off, sharp eyes deep purple, unwavering in its sincerity, "I'm bigger and stronger than you, a lot stronger. Getting physical with you isn't cool as is, but the power dynamic makes keeping my cool a must. No matter what relationship we have, if we have one, that won't be a part of it." Blake cringed at the way she said if, though that was far from the likely end to their coffee shop stop. Neither spoke immediately, their drinks arriving while they kept up mutual grimaces. Blake felt her throat dry up when she tried to reply, mixing the brown drink with sugar, she pressed it to her lips and tried to rid herself of that constraint.

     "I appreciate that," simple, underwhelming, but true, "That's not the end of the conversation. I said some awful things to you. I'm a little more hung up on that. I don't think I fundamentally understand you the way I thought, Yang." Blake gave into the truth, knowing shadows simply wouldn't do. She kept composure, but her hard exterior had to loosen.

     "I'm trying this 'being real' thing, I really am, and trust me this is not my way," Yang cut herself off with a chuckle, shaking her head in disbelief of herself, "But being real, I'm starting to think I don't fundamentally get all of me either, like, I know what's important to me. I know a lot more about the Yang I want to be than anything about the Yang I am. So I'm taking steps." She smiled with her mouth and frowned with her eyes. The golden girl's usual reservations being aired open, and normal exuberance restrained, Blake did not know how to handle this new her.

     "Taking steps towards what?" Blake asked, holding her hands in her lap to keep from fidgeting, "Or are you just trying to get me to 'real' talk first?" Blake tried to smile, as subtle as her's were, to take the sting out of the joking accusation.

     "Nah," Yang replied with her own, slightly more earnest grin, "I'm, after three years of college, about to be a freshman. I can't possibly be smart enough to trick you."

     "Freshman?" Blake asked, tilting her head at the world, as if trying to digest it. "You're dropping your program? Yang, you have one more year!" They were going to graduate together, a thought that both excited and horrified Blake a year ago. She had plans, dreams to chance, and so did Yang. They would split apart, but at least for another year it would be them together. Not graduating with Yang was... it wasn't even a consideration.

     "One more year, and what?" Yang asked rhetorically, "Work at a shitty restaurant, working like a dog so I don't starve? That's just working to keep on living, to keep on working. That's a hamster wheel, a hamster wheel that tastes and smells like fine cheese products, but a hamster wheel regardless."

     "You're dropping out? For what? Kickboxing full time? You can't just do that!" Blake felt a rush of worry that always accompanied Yang's companionship. Thoughts slammed into her skull. Were there any championships around with liveable rewards? Could she afford the training? She didn't have any titles, would any sponsor sign her? Were there sponsors for female kickboxing in this country to begin with? Fear, fear that Yang would walk herself off the roof of the world chasing her thrills. Blake had quit team manager to get away from that fear, the worried twinge whenever Yang got struck, the panic whenever she gambled too much on a match. Blake quit team manager, but her worried feelings never quit her.

     "I'm not," Yang replied, shaking Blake from her anxiety with the serious catch in the blonde girl's voice. "I'm going to try taking kickboxing more seriously, double down on training, retake my title next year and see if I can find some underground leagues in Compostela that might get me a name, but I'm not dropping out. I'm entering Pyrrha's program. I'll learn how to manage myself there, how to do this right. All that stuff applies to my dreams, but if I can't be champion, I can teach the next fighters. I know my style in and out, knowing how to run maybe a gym or a kickboxing school might help me find a way to merge what I want and what I can get," Yang breathed in, finalizing her speech and holding on the last bit, the real part. The motivation for all this change. "I don't like talking about this stuff, but I can't live my life without this, it's too much of me, it's the only thing that feels like me. My Tao, and without it being a part of me, I'm a husk. Alive, but not wanting to be. After I lost the match I felt like something integral to my very existence was stolen from me, a year after you walked away from me. I couldn't lose both, maybe one, but not both. Yet I did. Without either I died, then tried to die." Yang looked at her drink, not at Blake. She seemed so ashamed, so hateful of herself for admitting these things, it couldn't last. Yang smiled and Blake saw the joke coming. "Looks like Ruby will be my senior. You think she'll notice me?" Blake wanted to slap her.

     "Yang, that night are you trying to say..." Blake couldn't finish the words too terrible to mutter first, "Please, never even—" Blake reached her hand out toward Yang's from over the table. Just before impact, before her fingers could run over the brawler's knuckles to reassure her it was all okay, Yang forced herself back, keeping away from the touch.

     "Look, I'm not here to fight, but you don't get to care, stop, and care again, okay?!" Onlookers glanced at them, noticing Yang's reaction, but likely unable to understand their English. Her eyes hinted at fire and Blake withdrew, unable to retort the truth. "I don't want to hate you, but I haven't forgotten you, how you smashed my heart and then blamed me for it. I'm going to get my shit together, with or without you, but that doesn't wipe away everything either of us did, especially not you."

     "Yang, I'm sorry, I'm not saying it excuses everything, but there is so much you don't understand," Blake explained without explaining. No one ever meant it when they said they loved her, why would Yang be the first? Why should she believe her? This was a liar's Earth, users and thieves. She found it hard to believe now, if she believed it at all, then. Yang gave her every reason to run away.

     "Well, unlike you, I'm actually trying to understand!" Yang shouted, hands gripping the ends of the table, ready to crack it in half, "I want to get you. I was off to escape the world and the first place I ran to was your home. I went to Venice, trying to understand, trying to get you. I met Adam, I know what happened, and I know you ran away, but I'm not Adam! I don't get it Blake, make it make sense, please?"

     "It's not just Adam!" His ghost would haunt her forever, but it wasn't just their nightly crimes that shaped the scared girl. There was a whole world out there to terrify her. "When I left for the Peace Corps, I thought I'd see a different world, and I saw a lot of good people making a difference, but you know what I saw more of in East Africa? Companies abusing the hope of the poor people, and the desperation of poor governments. I saw Weiss' little family logo on mines working people to death, hoping their kids would have some shot at a future. They never do, they're just used. I saw that it's all the same selfish work, and you know what? I'm the same. I joined to feel like I was doing something good! Why? Because I wanted to be clean again. Everyone wants something. Even you."

     "Yeah," Yang never denied it, her eyes locked onto Blake, all the shouting was over. "I did, I do. I want to be happy, I wanted to be with you, and I did want you to be happy. I wanted that most of all. It's why I pretended for a year." Yang's eyes watered, but didn't drop. The fighter kept hard, desperate to not be taken as a joke, though no one was laughing. "I'm not any of those people, what I wanted was real, it wasn't bad. I'm not them Blake, I'm Yang Xiao Long." The lilac gaze finished for her, reminding Blake of who that was, what that meant. A girl that fought like hell, loved quick, but never dishonestly. It reminded her who Yang Xiao Long was.

     "And I'm Blake Belladonna, and I'm so scared of being used by you," Blake lacked the compulsion to avoid tears, and they began to flow quietly with dignity, "because I know I can't stop you, not when you look at me like that." It was Yang's turn to move, reaching over slow, hand cupping Blake's tear stained cheek, thumb quick to brush away the forming drops before they ran loose.

     "You don't need to be scared of me, I don't want to use you, I never did. I don't even know how. Did you forget I'm a stupid twenty year old freshman?" Yang's joke was coated with sweetness, her voice softening for comfort, hand staying right where it was so Blake could grasp it.

     "You met Adam, I have a thing for idiots," Blake muttered, somehow able to smile together. It had been years since she said that name in a way that made her smile.

     "You certainly know how to pick winners," Yang added, letting go and pulling away slowly. Blake snatched her hand on the way down.

     "I do now," Blake squeezed Yang's hand, but felt it go slack and saw the golden girl lose her grin.

     "We can't just restart like nothing happened," Yang reminded.

     "And we can't just pretend we feel nothing anymore," Blake countered.

     "We're two idiots lost in a forest."

     "Then we should pick a direction and start walking," Blake breathed a sigh, letting go, of the pain, of the fear, just trying, "and I would like it best if we could walk together."

     There was silence for a second, but Yang's grip returned with her sly smile. "Is Blake Belladonna asking me out on a date?" The golden girl loved to revel in victories.

     "Well at least we know you can understand metaphors," Blake joked, letting it slide. She deserved this, "Saturday, I'll get it off somehow, we can get a few drinks. Do things properly this time." They deserved this.

     "No banging in a hotel? I'm out of my natural element," they both breathed at the pause and for the first time, the miasma of Yang felt warm in Blake's lungs, "but I'll do my best." Letting go was hard, but hardly the hardest part of today. Their drinks were cold, the day ending. Night was starting soon, heavy clouds moving in, yet Blake found herself desperate for time. A few more moments.

     "Now, tell me all about your trip."

* * *

     Hours followed, rain began to pour, only pushing them to hide under the cabana for even longer. Yang had an army of stories about the places she had seen and touched, and Blake had a hunger to hear her talk, just for a while longer. They tore away only when Yang got a call to give Ruby a ride. Blake didn't fight that, Yang needed to be a big sister and the other girl needed to go home, a paper on whether or not Don Quixote was the first novel ever written needed to be taken out back and shot. After all that, they never even finished their drinks. Such a waste.

     At arrival, the dorm was unusually still. The place was devoid of life, Velvet should have been back, but Blake predicted she was still getting plastered at the bar with Coco, probably a little heart broken. Jaune and Pyrrha must have been there as well, missing meant they were together. Penny also gone, or in her room. Only animate bodies Ren and Nora doing homework, or rather Ren doing homework and Nora collapsing on top of his lap like a needy dog. They were a cute pair.

     What wasn't cute, was Blake's open dorm door. "Ren?" Blake asked, knowing the question spoke for itself. He looked up, a deep set worry on his face, one not matched by Nora.

     "Weiss," Ren started, not shocking Blake in the least, "there was some crashing from her room, she walked out, saw Glynda, both of them grabbed something from your room. Glynda left, but Weiss is still in her room," Ren listed it all like a line of facts, uncomfortable selling out the German. Blake knew that besides Ruby, Ren was the closest to her, sharing some sort of kinship between walls. Whatever it was, Blake lacked the patience.

     "Weiss Schnee!" Blake shouted as she knocked on the ice princess' dorm. Off and on they were arch enemies, as it seemed destined. The Schnee family was exactly the kind of people Blake devoted her life trying to stop. Yet, a daughter isn't the father. Ruby saw something after all.

     "The door is unlocked. Open it yourself!" Blake didn't flinch from the strange responses, slamming the dorm room door wide open, ready to unleash a hailstorm. It appeared at first glance it would be the second one today. The room was wrecked, a shattered guitar was burst into pieces that had scattered across the floor, a dent in the corner from where the instrument was smashed against. Many of the precious notes and equipment the girl kept on her desk were thrown off, some of it had to be broken. The one monitor that didn't even make it to the floor was pushed against the back, screen shattered. Weiss' hand, wrapped up and sprinkled with red stains, suggested exactly who had done all of this. The girl herself was staring into an open first aid kit, tears running down her face as she made no attempt to hide them or give into a single sob or sniffle.

     "Glynda said the first aid kit was stored in your room. I didn't take anything else if you've lost something." Weiss' voice was steady, but haggard, like she had exhausted her vocals of all but the most ragged of ranges. Blake was baffled.

     "It's okay." And she decided it probably was. The door left open hardly seemed like a big deal right now. Seeing a Schnee crying, surrounded by broken things, didn't feel as rewarding as Blake thought it would be the day her father got fired from the glass blower factory. Now it felt sad, tragic considering Ruby absolutely had to have been involved. "What happened?"

     "Dinner with my family, Ruby was invited. Went well, obviously." Weiss closed her eyes, a quake running through her as she resisted a sob. Alone in her chair. Blake didn't go to her, but she wouldn't leave, not right now.

     "I'm sorry." _That explained Yang's text_ , Blake noted, "Are things over between you two?" she offered, unsure of what else to give. Weiss's jaw clenched, her eyes opened up to show red rings and a fire inside.

     "I don't know," Weiss admitted, hands clenching down, "But I'm not."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before anyone asks, yes the title is a reference to the famous coffee with strangers. Thought it might be nice to pay a little nod to what is probably considered one of the rwby fanfic canon. Other than that there isn't too much to say about this one, hope you all enjoyed and let me know what you think, and of course thank you to Lazykatze for editing. She has an incredibly demanding course load, day job, sports, and all that can not and will not let her edit, yet she weasels her way into doing that in spite of literally everything.
> 
> In the original version of the Yang side story (also known as the 'Chosen' arch of choice) Yang was going end up with Pyrrha and Blake with Velvet, the two of them unable to reconcile the choices made before the series. This was changed during the first Blake chapter for three reasons. One Pyrrha and Velvet simply lacked the time in scene to be real fully featured characters. Two, the chosen arc was all about being forced to accept what choices led up to now and where to go from there, having them get back together in this way made felt more right. They do not deny the past, but aren't decided by it, a more healthy end. Lastly, I felt it would be more interesting to have Yang shut down by Pyrrha because of straightness, having something out of her control fit better for her breakdown.


	19. Words Once Foreign

**Ruby Rose**

     "Ruby, you never told me Weiss' father would be coming for a visit!" Taiyang interrupted their immediate greeting, as if the two of them were old friends. This William Schnee laughed off, while Ruby gave an awkward glance to Envida, who shrugged in return as unaware as the rest.

     "And Weiss never mentioned your father being at the forefront of self-sufficient development in Nigeria. The Schnee Distributed Conglomerate is well aware of the growth in the region, half the fastest growing GDPs are right below us, and the rest of Europe's only focused on trying to keep them out." The way Mr. Schnee talked about politics, despite Ruby's ignorance of the subject, sounded like something people would cheer over, was something her father nodded towards, and likely was something Blake found akin to vomit. "Still, Miss Rose here is tragically uninformed about my arrival, very short notice. Business came up, barely get a day with my family. Really only an evening at L'Atlas, and I hoped Ruby would not be opposed to joining us for dinner?"

     L'Atlas referenced Plaza del Atlas, deep in the touristy end of town where the river met the ocean. It was the wealthiest and newest part of El Vale, where all the structures lacked the old yellow colors and Spanish tastes. Instead it was modern, costly, and way too fancy for Ruby. Envida agreed. "No, we don't have that kind of money, no, no."

     "No, don't worry about it. I intend to cover the bill. She's a guest, of course I would," William Schnee responded, completely unaffected by the initial refusal. He kept up his smile and insistence. Ruby didn't want to go, or at least was afraid to. A fancy dinner with Weiss was something she herself always wanted to manage, but this was the man who used Emerald to get to Weiss, to try and kill her dreams. Now he stood in her house, smiling.

     "I don't really think I should go," Ruby finally voiced, tired, but still able to give him a deserved stare for Wiess. She wasn't Emerald, she wasn't someone he could buy with fancy dinners. They were a partners, and he was the enemy as far as Ruby knew. "Besides, I don't have any nice clothes. I'd be turned away at the door if it was really, fitting for someone like you. Not my scene." Ruby did her best to be sneaky with her contempt. With how William sighed, Taiyang looked confused, and Envida stepped to Ruby's side defensively, she had a feeling it wasn't that subtle.

     "Ruby," William spoke softly, eyes never losing the uncomfortable friendly flare, "No one says no to a Schnee, you'll be welcomed no matter what you wear. You don't have to come, but Weiss and myself would both really appreciate it. There is a lot to talk about." Dinner with Weiss was tempting, especially given the novelty of her dressed in even fancier attire. Ruby couldn't decide whether she would be the type to be stifled by such impracticalities, or prove to be graceful as ever.

     He smiled, Ruby day dreamed, and suddenly, without realizing how easily she was suckered, she was in her room getting ready. Envida came with her, picking out what, of all the clothes Ruby had, was defined as acceptable. No formal dresses, or even dress shirts. They were never her thing and mom never made her go to the dances in them. Motto was be you, even if you was completely socially unacceptable. Envida was a resourceful character. A pair of Yang's old black skinny jeans that barely fit replaced what should have been slacks. A red blouse from the bottom of Ruby's pile made a nice enough top with the sleeves rolled up, though it only really worked with the addition of some beads that rested beautifully, if a little itchy, around Ruby's neck. Courtesy again of Envida.

     "If you do not want to go, you don't have to. I can be the, uhh, mean wife that ruins everything," Envida offered, holding Ruby's chin in her hands, the other brushing the girl's eye with a subtle touch of makeup.

     "No, I'm okay," Ruby admitted, feeling more at ease once the shock settled. This was a good move, Weiss' dad was important in her life after all, Ruby ought to meet him. She could prove herself trustworthy to Weiss, and maybe a good girlfriend to the father. "I'm serious about Weiss. I know you haven't met her, but I think you'd like her."

     "Your father said good things. She is very polite, but he can't sense things very good. He is a doofus. In this man, he sees your graduate school paid for, I see annoying smile." Envida kept her focus, quickly applying the same purple eye shadow Ruby tried to use for herself, but she only had half the older womans chills. Envida was simply more dexterous than she would ever be.

     "Graduate school?" Ruby asked in a high voice, unable to move her face to show her surprised intonation.

     "If you decide," Envida finished, letting Ruby's face free and scanning over her finished work. Only five minutes and the redhead was sure she looked better than anything she ever tried to do herself. "Done. You're ready, I think."

     Ruby looked at herself in her personal basement mirror. It was Yang's technique of subtle touches, or maybe that was just mother being like daughter. Either way, the effect was perfect. Envida saved her again, for no good reason. Maybe not a mom, but certainly an excellent friend. "Muchos Gracias, Señora Long. You're really cool."

     Envida smiled, brushing her black dyed hair back, expression like Yang's, surprised, yet not. "De nada, hija." The older woman happily shuffled Ruby's short, messy hair. There was never any salvaging that into something formal, "Your accent still sucks." Yep, Yang was in there. "But really, if he bothers you, voy a tomar sus huevos, you get me?" Ruby laughed, gather enough from the clutching hand motion. Definitely Yang.

* * *

     "I'm ready!" Ruby called out as she bounced up the stairs, earnestly wanting to skip the uncomfortable ride with William and go straight to Weiss. However, at the entryway he was waiting patiently, speaking about something in Cantonese to her father.

     "Well there she is. I like your choice of dress, you'll blow Weiss away." William punctuated his compliment with the snap of his umbrella. "I'll have her back by nine at the latest." The wind flooded in as he opened the door and stepped out of the Long residence.

     "Don't worry," Taiyang noted for both of them, though turning to face just his daughter, "if you want to stay out later, just call Yang." He grinned warmly, to which Ruby only nodded, returning the smile. Without thinking much of the rain, an Oregon girl never did, Ruby walked out unshielded as she shut the door behind her, quickly finding the umbrella's protection above her.

     "Here, you take it," William offered, passing the handle to her.

     "Thanks, I'm okay," Ruby replied, but William refused to be detracted, keeping his hand out. He didn't seem like the type to not get his way, even if it was with a smile. "Thank you," Ruby muttered after giving in, taking the umbrella and letting the older man be pelted by the showers above. He seemed happy for it though, cheer expression that seemed too alien to be related to Weiss. More odd, he stood there, politely shifting his arm into a hoop to let Ruby's through. He was old fashioned, or liked to be seen as so. Hesitantly, Ruby slid her arm around his, politely walking paired with himup the short path to his car.

     "There you go," William mumbled, opening the back seat door for Ruby, the gentleman persona clearly embedded deep in him. Ruby entered the Audi with trepidation. The car was worth more than her organs, and the girl worried her poorness would ruin the interior. William didn't seem to mind her awkwardness, simply stepping into the driver's seat and silently bringing the car to life.

     "So, Ms. Rose," Mr. Schnee started off as he drove himself onto the proper road, the backtown paths probably too much for this four door, black painted block of platinum. "Weiss doesn't say much, but when I do get her talking about you, she says good things. You're a writer?"

     "Yeah." This was the interview section of family meet ups, where Ruby would have to spill her resume and old school awards before getting rejected for being a loser. Least with Cinder her mom didn't seem to notice either of them existed. "I mean, I've never published anything, but I would like to. I work with Weiss on it."

     "Has she picked up writing? She doesn't tell me much about herself these days, you'll have to fill me in." Ruby could see his soft blue eyes shift from the mirror in front of her, something about the question stirred a demon in Ruby. It flashed to a strong, but trembling, Weiss, and holding her as she told Ruby her life story.

     "Ask her," Ruby bit back, "I'm thankful for you taking me out, but you can't bribe me. I'm happy to talk about Weiss, but only about what she feels comfortable with." Ruby drew a line in the sand, whether it meant anything or not, certainly did tense up the air and cut William's smile short. There was a silence, a long one, as they drove through time. Ruby almost thought about apologizing before William found his words.

     "I see she told you. I don't expect you to agree with the decision I had to make then, I would almost be more angry if you did, but understand, Weiss forced my hand. I wanted her to pursue not only her passions, but also what she needed to succeed in this world. I trusted her. It wasn't her money to give away to that," William couldn't say the word he wanted to, but the way his jaw clenched, Ruby could see 'whore' form in his throat before being swallowed down, "When Emerald took my money, got me those transcripts, do you think I was happy? That I laughed, knowing I outsmarted my daughter? I wanted to kill Emerald for what she was willing to do to my daughter and my heart was broken when I found out Weiss was stealing from me. I wasn't proud, or happy, but neither of us, me or my daughter, are free of guilt. We hurt each other, but I intend to fix that." William never shouted, never even raised his voice, but the steady way he spoke, the grip on his wheel, the tremble in his shoulders, the moment terrified Ruby.

     "I just want to support Weiss," Ruby offered, not sure what she meant or what it would cost, "No matter what."

     "I hope so, I really do," William replied, turning up the wipers as the rain began to fall faster, clouds almost as thick as the atmosphere choking the inside of his sedan. The rest of the ride was held in relative silence. Ruby clutched herself, forming an awkward protective shell against nothing really. Mr. Schnee stopped talking, preferring to breathe steady breaths and slowly calm down as he drove. Ruby couldn't fully fault him, least not for the outburst. What else could one say to an accusation like hers?

     By the time they arrived, a jovial mood returned to William. He began to hum to himself as they passed the reconstructed Plaza del Atlas, changed to allow cars through, the richer area packed full of finer automobiles and devoid of the simpler walking and biking folk that populated the other squares. Nearby was their target, a tower with a restaurant at the top, L'Atlas estates, fine apartments and restaurants. The structure seemed to be built of mirrors. A castle of reflections.

     The rain was heavy now and spared not a second before showering down on Ruby as she exited the car. She did not mind, only bowing her head to protect her cosmetics. The water droplets were sharp and cold, made more so by the cool breeze that swiveled between the buildings and made that chill all the stronger. Without thinking, Ruby closed her eyes and was not there. She was home in Oregon, where like this they walked through rainstorms unshielded, no umbrellas could survive winter winds. Summer would run with her, as they darted through Portland streets. Where to, this sudden memory trigger did not provide, but the rain was the same. They were both wet to the skin, her mother's long, fire red hair was darkened by the water that stuck it to her face, ruining her makeup, but not her smile. They were so happy to run in the rain. Why? Probably something dumb. Summer didn't need a good excuse to be happy, and Ruby didn't need one to join.

     "Miss Rose, please, you'll get soaked!" William cried as he darted out of the car and popping the umbrella as he went. The Spanish fall winds were strong, but not as strong as Oregon's, no drops falling on Ruby. Mr. Schnee lacked the same protection, but seemed not to care. His hair never stuck to his face, product holding his short silver strands together. Ruby was sure he had plenty of excuses to be happy.

     "I don't mind, we get way worse at home," Ruby tried to dismiss, quick to snap back to their reality, standing in front of a downtown tower. The restaurant was located at the top of one of the few city center structures that rose above six stories. Monolithic, shining, more mirror than metal, and totally out of place in a town so old and build of tan and red stone. "Just, like, zoned out, I guess. I do that sometimes."

     "It's an omen pushing us to hurry up and go inside already," Mr. Schnee jested, forming his arm into a circle once again as Ruby took on umbrella duty. "Shall we?"

     Without grounds to deny him, Ruby mumbled an 'alright', took his arm, and let William escort her to the court of Schnees.

     Inside the tower, Ruby was made immediately aware of the company she was keeping. The inner sanctum was devoid of the humble personability of Spanish architecture, everything was columns of black marble and false gold. Men in fine red and gold uniforms sprinting in a way that, with a gift in guile, seemed like walking. William stopped for no one, asking no questions and carrying himself with a comfortable smile like he owned the place. Perhaps he did. Ruby wondered if the onlooking staff thought she was the rebel daughter since her blouse lacked the gold trimmed look everything there had. What the hell was Weiss dating the rabble for?

     "We have one of the dining rooms to ourselves, family outings always get loud. My daughters always try to outshout each other," William explained as the elevator door closed with them inside, a bubble made of glass that began to shepherd them up to the restaurant.

     "I didn't know Weiss had a sister," Ruby noted, never hearing Weiss talk once about any other family aside from her father. She had never asked, the redhead realized, feeling a touch guilty. Here was her shot, get all the juicy secrets direct.

     "Winter. Odd name I know, her mother named her. She's a few years older, sits on the board of the SDC. They have spats every once in awhile," William explained, hinting that a few spats meant they were the knives out kind of sisters. That was going to be fun.

     "Thanks for having me," Ruby remembered to say just in time for the elevator doors to spring open. They arrived at a fine, if plastic looking restaurant. Again black marble and glass at every step, the gentle mumble of a thousand politely low conversations turned into the usual restaurant hum, if more restrained than usual. Everyone was dressed in fine attire, strapless dresses adorned with flowers, suits vests galore on men and women. The way the waiter looked at Ruby, she was reminded why she originally didn't want to come.

     "Mr. Schnee?" the host asked surprisingly in English, holding the fine edges of his vest by his thumbs, hair combed back and held down by a cup's worth of gel.

     "Yes, I've got room eleven reserved. I believe two other lovely ladies are likely waiting for us, don't worry if that ruins your dreams, the meaner one is still single," Mr. Schnee joked with a comfortableness only afforded by the most obnoxiously confident.

     "Oh yes, sir," he replied, diverting his gaze for a second to Ruby, "Is she another of your guests?" AKA, did this street rat follow you in?

     "Of course!" Mr. Schnee replied, turning to his younger companion, "she's the woman of the hour, can't you tell?" He winked in a way that only practiced fathers did, and for a second he reminded her of Taiyang at his best. Cheery, paternal, and childlike in a really comforting way. Maybe he wasn't awful, just concerned? The two images didn't match.

     "This way, sir," the host shamefully defaulted to, embarrassed by William's generous defense of the younger girl.

     "Told you, so long as you're with my daughter, no one's turning her partner away," William whispered, cheerily dragging Ruby with him, like a child off to show his neighbor a cool thing he discovered. Cool it was, a back wing, smaller than most. The side wall was just a massive window overlooking the bay, letting candle light and the moon brighten the inside. It was devoid of guests besides two. One, the most beautiful girl in the world, a touch more boyish than Ruby was use to. A button down dress shirt and slacks fit her beautifully, not a touch of awkwardness. Weiss was always the queen. The other, her sister, dressed in formal business wear, much like their father, her stature even closer to him as well. Her hair was pulled back into a bun beside a long swept part that covered half her face. A viper's smile was on her and she and her sister sat with an elephant of uncomfort between them.

     "Ruby!" Weiss shouted, standing up at attention, worry and surprise painted on her face, "Why are you here?!" Winter looked on with a shit-eating grin, all her fault clearly.

     "Did Winter not tell you?" William asked, frowning for the first time all night, clearly disappointed by this deception. Ruby decided then that she did not like Winter, and never would.

     "She knows now," the sibling replied, crossing her legs like she had won something. Honestly, Ruby figured all she won was the mutual distrust of the entire party. No wonder they never got along.

     "Sorry Weiss, your dad invited me," Ruby apologized without really knowing why. She feared crossing into some personal space, showing up unwanted. Pissing Weiss off upset her plenty more than the thought that her girlfriend didn't want her around. Of course, more realistically, Weiss stared back with a bit of shock and a lot of fear.

     "No need for apologies, you're our guest, and Weiss understands I'm interested in meeting her partner, as any father would be, so sit, enjoy!" The older man shuffled over to the other side of the table, allowing Ruby to sit beside Weiss and across from Winter, simultaneously the best due for the former, and worst from the latter.

     "I just didn't expect it, is all," Weiss mumbled, taking her seat again. Right next to Ruby, the pair sharing a mutual glance of concern and confusion. Without a word, Weiss reached under the table, grasping Ruby's hand as if Wiliam intended to jerk them apart at any second.

     "So, Ruby, Weiss has been so sparse with the details. Tell me how you two met. Are you both in the business program?" Mr. Schnee began, avoiding the awkward air entirely, hand flipping his menu open and giving only cursory glances, preferring to keep eye contact with Ruby. It made her feel small, though she doubted it was his intent.

     "No, I haven't picked a program," Ruby responded, awkwardly opening her menu up, a fine leather case that essentially held two scraps of paper, offering maybe five things on each.

     Winter smirked at Ruby's comment, urging Weiss to squeeze harder on her hand. "People who wait to choose have a distinctly less favorable chance of completing uni. You should decide immediately if you intend to make something of your—"

     "Winter, if everyone was a statistic, mathematicians would rule the world instead of working for me in an underfunded lab," William chided, not even bothering to raise his voice as he cut his daughter off. Weiss nearly bounced at the sight, locked in a civil war with her sibling. Ruby was happy two-fold, one to see her girlfriend feel like a winner, and two knowing Mr. Schnee liked her enough for that kind of confidence. "Again, tell me the story, and what you would like to eat. The waiter won't come till I flag him."

     "Well, father," Weiss started, cutting Ruby off at the curve, "We are in the same foreign students program and Physics course. We began studying together, we still do mind you, but also bonded over artistic pursuits. Ruby is an author."

     "Are you aware of the difficulti—"

     "I was a big reader when I was younger, especially of Dostoyevsky," William cut off his daughter again, earning a giggle from Ruby, even if she tried to hide it. Mr. Schnee didn't seem to notice, or pretended not to, however Winter clearly did. "The Brothers Karamazov is still my favorite book. It's hard work, but I wish you well. As long as you stay practical while you create, frugal and such, I'm confident you'll do well. Weiss's mentioned your skills a few times; she's an honest judge." Ease was starting to replace the fear. Weiss was still tense, but Ruby wasn't. She let herself smile, laugh, and ignore Winter's annoyed glares and spitfire comments. William seemed to just swipe them away, so why worry?

     Ordering was a confusing affair, all the menu items were devoid of pricing, ruining Ruby's scheme of picking whatever was cheapest. She intended to cover herself even if William insisted it was silly. Somewhere in the mock argument, Weiss called the waiter over and ordered for Ruby, which was kind of nice. For an English menu, Ruby barely recognized anything but the word steak.

     Food arrived over light discussion, no one ever touched on anything real. Usually it danced around business talk, recent life events, nothing serious, and nothing about the past. Seemed their life as a family was brand new. No mention of Vienna, or Emerald, of anything. Yet it felt right. Normal. William had that effect. That pleasantness. Likely why he ran such a strong business. No one could hate him. Not even Weiss, who feared him, but found herself making witty comebacks on occasion, pulled into the conversation.

     By seven, everyone was done with their meal except for Ruby. She began work on the final pieces of steak, now cold from the wait. She had no other choice, she watched the others eat to match their manners. Ruby knew these proper rituals existed and needed to learn them quick before becoming a barbian.

     "Father, may I ask why you're in Spain? You never really explained why you came all the way here to El Vale?" Weiss asked, posture no longer locked tense, hand holding Ruby's knee gently, not so afraid she would be ripped away. William smiled at the question, but his eyes faded a little, unhappy at the start of this new topic.

     "Personal matters, partially business, but mostly personal. Wanted to get it done myself. I'll be gone by tomorrow, like I was never here." There was nothing jovial in the way William said it, despite his body language seeming to pretend there was. His hand gave it away, scratching his beard nervously. This personal matter was a problem.

     Winter on the other hand was excited, the fairly sullen sister snatched a spark of life, her hands grabbing her bag from below, an accordion of documents and records. "I believe this would be the time to discuss it then," Winter began, pulling out a folder.

     "It can wait," Mr. Schnee interjected, hand pushing Winter's down swiftly, preventing her from tossing out the folder she had selected. Winter looked annoyed, and William offered a quiet, "she's eating, give it a few minutes."

     "It's okay, I'm fine," Ruby answered incorrectly, judging from the tightness of Weiss' grip. She appeared horrified and the redhead instantly regretted it. Once Winter had begun there was no stopping it. With a smirk she laid a folder on the table, its name in black ink was German and incomprehensible, aside from a name, a name in English beside all the foreign and out of place text. Summer Rose.

     "While we did a background check on you, Ruby—"

     "It wasn't a background check," William cut in, clarifying her statement with his own version of the events, "I asked some people to just find out who you were. Weiss explained so little. It was just basic stuff: name, where you're from, barely anything. Nothing legal or substantial, just what you can find on a couple of Google searches." The explanation provided little comfort, though Ruby understood in some sense. It was scary to feel like she had been tested without her knowing.

     "And we found your mother in our system. She use to work for one of our Nigerian subsidiaries, the one that purchased your father's old operation in the north end of the country back in 2014," Winter continued the story, opening the folder, familiar pictures showing up, one of mother and her team, same flag as father's picture, just less crew and more badges. Time.

     "We tried to hire on as many people from the old project as possible, our subsidiary even tried to bring on your father, but he was focused on domestic development at the time. His operation was superb, canceled way before its prime. I wasn't directly involved, but it was normal stuff. You might remember this?" William entered in the story, adding a more personal tone. Ruby did remember the job, in her mid teens back then. She remembered how this ended as well. Mom came back bandaged up a year later, project scrapped, and her out of commission for months.

     "Yeah, we needed more cash, so my mom would go for a few months, come back, and go out again awhile later, until the place got attacked. That got resolved, right? Are you trying to get my dad on it, or something?" Ruby asked with a great deal of worry. The country had stabilized a great deal since the civil infighting between the government and Boko Haram. Still, mom was gone, and Ruby was uninterested in losing another parent out of the blue. Even if only for a while.

     "No, we sold the rights. We didn't want to finance reconstruction. Bad call, but no one knew when that was going to end. Messy conflict, I'm glad it's over," William shook his head, dismay seemed real. Whether for the lost lives or lost money, Ruby didn't feel confident she would know.

     "The reason we bring this up, is one of the employees from your mother's former company filed a suit against us—"

     "Look, Ruby would have nothing to do with her alone!" Weiss cut in hard. Winter smiled, but Mr. Schnee only sighed.

     "This isn't about legal matters, it's about human ones," Mr. Schnee opened, voice louder than either of the sister's, calling everyone to pay attention as he spoke. His eyes lacked their sunny touch, his expression was more weary than cheery, the matter weighed on him, or he wanted it to appear to. Again, Ruby could not say. "When the station was attacked, your mother held position with the volunteers after the initial evacuation of company crews, buying time for the government to send aid and evacuate the local miners. It was heroic, and during the last day of the five on her team that stayed, one was killed, your mother took several bits of shrapnel from machine fire, cosmetic damage, and another member took a bullet." Ruby knew the story, or at least how Qrow romanticized it. Summer always said it was just people pelting each other from half a mile away until choppers showed up. Somehow, Ruby always guessed it was both more and less than either version.

     "The man in question was the one who survived after taking a round. It was lodged in a sensitive area, so the doctors left it. He recently has been diagnosed with cancer, had the bullet removed while in surgery over a tumor. The bullet was found to be a depleted uranium round." Winter went over the notes robotically, unfeelingly, almost pleasurably, laying out the pieces for Ruby's brain to fill in. The shrapnel in mom's body. Bullet fragments, bigger pieces removed, but little slivers, so many they just left it. No harm, just slivers. Depleted uranium. Ruby never thought the word would be relevant to her or noteworthy in her mind. Before mom died, neither was cancer. Words once foreign. "No medical study has ever determined depleted uranium to be enough to actually tip scales in cancer cases. Even so, your mother signed a number of contracts clearing us of any responsibility for such issues, a lawsuit would be suicidal at this point—"

     "Enough, Winter! I think she gets it. How hard is it to just be human!?" William shouted for the first time in their short history together. Ruby just kept staring at the flavorless steak, probably worth its weight in uranium. "Ruby, while we aren't likely even remotely responsible for her passing, your mother sacrificed for a lot of lives, our people. I'm here to try and make it up to you. The medical debt wiped clean, graduate school covered within reason, we can find a way to hash this out. I discovered this connection by accident and I want to pay my respects, to your mother, in the best interest of both parti—"

     William was cut off, not by words, but something far more powerful in its punctuating. Without a word, Weiss stood, one swift motion propelling her to her feet. Mr. Schnee had little time to look up before her hand struck him. The smack was loud, its weight bouncing off of Ruby and the walls. It made her cringe, but did not tear the red head from her current gaze. Catatonic.

     "You wanted this, didn't you!?" Weiss shouted, hand just as red as the mark she left on her father's face. She was crying, angry tears on her cheeks, soundless and ready to drown her victim. "Why do you keep trying to ruin everything that makes me happy?!" Weiss looked ready to hit him again before he stood, the older Schnee taller by a foot than his daughter and overtook her completely.

     "This isn't about you Weiss! Not everything is!" William dropped all pretense of politeness, devolving into a matching tone, yelling loud enough to alert the wait staff. Still, they watched silently, unwilling to demand a Schnee to go away. "Ich will dir nur helfen, sie hätte es so oder so herausgefunden. Ich versuche nur zu verhindern, dass es schlimmer wird. Ich will es bei euch beiden wieder gut machen!" Mr. Schnee was the first to break from English, sending their mutual yelling into the void of unfamiliarity.

     "You dodged a bullet staying out of this family, Ruby. Take your chance to escape, trust me," Winter smiled as she spoke, so pleased with herself. The sudden urge to vomit was extraordinary. The air was radioactive, choking and killing her, repulsing Ruby's heart and body. The last urge to stay, motivated purely by the thought of spiting Winter, vanished as soon as Ruby shot another glance at her mother's smiling face, wondering if she felt the burn of poison in her body all those years. She was already texting Yang.

     "Excuse me, I'm going home," Ruby announced loud enough for all to hear. She wanted more than anything to have a hoodie to hide in. This wasn't the place for her, Ruby belonged in this restaurant about as much as her mom fit among the living now. Everyone was watching her, but there was nothing to say. Nothing to resolve. It was time to go away,

     "Wait Ruby," every Schnee aside from Winter called out, but Ruby focused on neither of their competing voices, unable to form anything she wanted to hear right now. She could guess what they had to say. There was no reason to wait.

     "Yang's coming to pick me up. Thank you for the meal, Mr. Schnee. Goodnight." Ruby bolted as politely as she could, passionately speedwalking might be more accurate. The goal was the elevator door, a glass bubble that would bring her back to the surface. No one seemed to go after her. The mixture of people talking got farther away, and no one in the restaurant dared say a word. A peaceful second was a gift to her as the doors opened. Without a second thought, Ruby entered, not hearing Weiss' heavy footsteps run after her.

     "Ruby, please!" Weiss slammed herself against the doors, holding them open against both their will and Ruby's, "I'm sorry, I don't know why he's doing this. He's trying to break us up, ruin this for us, he's a bastard!" Weiss cried out, more emotional than Ruby had ever seen, and despite how much she adored her, despite everything the redhead had thirsted, taken, and wanted from her, she could not care. She wanted to, wanted to so bad, but it was all gone. Summer's cancers took too much space in the little girl's heart tonight.

"My mom dying isn't about you." It wasn't meant to be cruel, it wasn't, but its intent was hiding directly in its truth. Whatever she was feeling, this pain, it wasn't Weiss, and it sure as hell wasn't just something made up to inconvenience her. Ruby watched her mother's shallow breaths turn to no breaths at all. That wasn't something to be shrunk down to a weapon by anyone. "Please let go."

     "Ruby," Weiss bubbled, chin shivering as she spoke, expecting a reply where none was coming. The redhead kept staring, hoping for the love of god, she would just let the door close, let her go home, let her sleep a month away, dreaming of mom's hugs and sweet bedtime stories. Please.

     She did.

     The doors closed. A glass case giving Ruby an excellent view of how she just made the prettiest girl in the world cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***So I hope that answers a lot of questions you all were having and honestly I am hoping this surprises you all a great deal. Most of you were quick to jump on the Mr. Schnee is an evil dick train, but things in real life are more complicated. I hope to hit that complication point well.
> 
> Special thanks of course to LazyKatze for her awesome edits and support. She is the best bestie anyone could ask for. My brotp for life. And special thanks to me for making it to 23. ;~; kill me I'm too old.
> 
> The actual cause of death for Summer Rose was one of the last things conceived of for Choice. The Extras after the story were plotted out before the nature of Summer's Cancer was. Also science not choice fact, depleted uranium round while rare are available. Doctors have often suggested it would be harmless, but the concerns of long term exposure is still being explored.


	20. Something

**Yang Xaio Long**

     "Not Coco? I thought you liked the strong type!" Yang begged, finding Ruby so unsupportive of their little game of Would You Threesome. The days between her last talk with Blake and their planned date was spent all the same: together, ditching school, avoiding Schnee phone calls, playing video games, and dancing around whatever calamity had befallen them that night.

     "I like strong and independent, not freaking terrifying," Ruby balked back, shifting from where she had laid down, head resting in Yang's lap. Her tiny body was clothed in nothing but pajama pants and the same hoodie from days ago. Both her and those clothes needed a wash, but that was a mess better handled another time. "Girl wears sunglasses to hide the murder in her eyes, I swear."

     "No," Yang argued, reaching down from her controller to scruff her red and black hair, a little greasy, but nothing a good shampoo couldn't fix. "She's just, you know, Irish?" Yang limply stretched her legs as she laid back into Ruby's couch. This was the usual hang out zone for them. An annex apart from the fam that always cared too much or too little.

     "Lies, they are suppose to be, like, jolly and nice and do Riverdance," Ruby grumbled in a pout, curling up even further into her tiny Rubble singularity. She was a cute kid, though the moping didn't suit her.

     "That's a little on the racist side, bud," Yang joked, taking note of the midday sun peering through the basement glass wall, a reminder that even this Saturday wasn't eternal, and both of them had things to do, whether they wanted to or not. "Okay, how about Pyrrha? When she walks out in her boxing shorts all feel the desert's thirst."

     "Nah, not even Pyrrha," Ruby mumbled, looking a little starry eyed as she watched the protagonist of their new RPG strut her stuff through a jungle. They were playing together, but often it was just filler in the background of their causal proximity, a type of questionless support. "I don't want to share her, even with the 'goddess'."

     "What kind of lesbian are you?" Yang asked, letting a free arm hug her sister ever so slightly. Her crush was turning into love one bit at a time, a scary process and a frightening road, especially considering together they were actively ignoring the world for a while. "I think one day at the gym would change your mind."

     "Nope," Ruby popped the P, tossing the suggestion aside like one might do when hearing the world was flat. Like it was impossibly obvious, something that didn't need a thought. Ruby didn't know how to talk to her, but sure as hell knew it wasn't going to be anyone else. "Before you tell me, I know. I need to call her."

     "Oh don't worry, you don't need to; she's blowing up your phone all by herself," Yang cut in, usually keeping quiet, but sometimes being a big sister meant being real, "You just need to pick up one day! Just like that, instant girlfriend." There was quiet for a while, nothing but the game as Ruby thought of a response and Yang patiently waited, never knowing if she was applying the right amount of push or not. Clock ticked, their shared character won a few more encounters, and Ruby Rose turned over, staring up at Yang with those big silver encrusted eyes of hers.

     "Shouldn't you be getting ready for your date?" _Sneaky._

     "Shouldn't you be getting ready for your friends?" Yang shot back, fully capable of tossing it in her face, "Plus unlike _some people_ I make jammies look sexy as fuck." With a quick save, her controller was tossed, limbs stretched out, day half done, workout missed and sorely needed. Running out of time completely now. "I can stay for your party thing if you want. If I explain it to Blake she would be cool with it." _Don't worry, Summer,_ Yang thought to her missing friend, _I'll look after her._

     "It's okay," Ruby mumbled, getting up from Yang's lap, hair splintered into a mess from laying down so long, "Nora and Penny will be here soon to relieve you of your noble sisterly duties for a while. So go! Get ready, it's date time." The girl presented herself as any college freshman nerd, smile bright and hopeful, but eyes that looked deep of something else entirely. It was weird how Ruby, despite the deepness of her sadness, seemed fine. Maybe she wasn't dealing with it? Maybe she learned from her sister.

     "Are you uninviting me to your private party?" Yang accused with a playful timbre.

     "Yep, you are just too cool for this shin dig. Banned!" Ruby shot her arms up in emphasis, collapsing back onto the couch, comfortable with sunlight on her cheeks. She looked good for a mess.

     "You are so dumb," Yang laughed, kicking herself up from the seat, her legs wobbly as they caught her. First time standing in a long while. It felt refreshing.

     "Shush, you're dumb," Ruby mumbled her meek defense, offending no one, "now go see Blake and do whatever nasty stuff cool people do." Yang was feeling a sudden spring in her body, an ancy excitement, the energy hitting her. It was time to go, a knight off to get her princess. Blake Belladonna was waiting. The right way this time.

     "Fine, loser," Yang joked, spinning on her heel towards the stairs, "I love you, Rubes."

     "Love you, too. Now go be gay elsewhere." Yang chuckled without complaint, quick to take her first few steps up the stairs. _Aye aye captain._

     Each advance made her more excited, the pace turning to a sprint out of the basement. Both Yang's mother and father were locked into conversation, blocking the exit, almost barreled through as the golden girl marched towards her room to get ready.

     "Break it up!" Yang called out, but the two remained right in place. Envida straight up gave her the 'you better slow your ass down' glare, might as well have jammed a metal pole in her engine. "I got to get going, got a date, may I please pass?"

     "First, date? Second, your father wants to know if Ruby's okay for him to go down and speak to her, and third, I want you both to know neither of you are skipping next week. Once, alright, but now, I don't care if you die, come back and die again, I'll prop your corpse up in that university. I swear." Taiyang coughed at the extreme nature of Envida's take-no-shit attitude, but that was mom. She expected a lot. Of Yang, of Ruby. She expected a lot because she saw what was in them. And what was in their tuition bills. Yang was pretty sure the latter was a prime motivator.

     "Yeah, I have a date with Blake." Her response was as chill and nonchalant as she could manage. Taiyang's response was anything but, coughing on his own surprise. _Dad, you are so weak._

     "What?! You and her are a—"

     "I thought so. She's pretty, smarter than any of us, Italian, too. You've certainly dragged home worse. Good work, Mija," Mom cut him off, much more secure in her child's adulthood, especially given their time together. Yang more than ever felt like she was becoming an adult, admittedly a really confused and dumb one, but an adult in her eyes. "Still, there were two more questions for you."

     "Yeah, mama. I'll make sure she goes. It's got to do with Summer, I think, but I'll make sure she goes." Taiyang went from surprised to exhausted in barely enough time to do a double take. He really didn't know how to do the whole double parent thing. _Good on him for caring though_ , Yang noted. "And yeah, outside of not taking a shower for like two days, Ruby's chill for you to talk to her papa." Envia tipped her head, telling him to go and Yang got out of his way, letting the befuddled yet sweet father down.

     "I love that man so much, but he has no clue what he's doing," Envida complained as she watched her husband descend.

     "They don't cover, 'woo! Your mom's dead!' in the parent handbook," Yang joked, or tried to. Didn't make either of them laugh.

     "You know I should be happy she's gone, but I'm not even a little. Little Ruby did not deserve this," Envida whispered, ensuring only her daughter could hear. It was a secret Yang doubted she would ever voice again. An admission never to be repeated.

     "That's 'cause you're a good person, mama," Yang offered, knowing Envida never knew the pleasure of Summer Rose. The woman who was so much like Ruby, just coated in twice her courage and forty times her worldliness. When Summer Rose died, a flower unlike any other was scattered to the wind. Blake once told Yang of Hemingway's most misunderstood quote: " _Never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee_ _._ " It wasn't meant to be scary, no, just the knowledge that the loss of a unique person was a loss for everyone. They were all made lessor for the scattering of Summer Rose.

     "Don't you have a date?" Envida asked, snapping Yang from the thoughts of Summer. Her mother was looking at her with gentle eyes, giving her further permission to get the hell out of there. Letting her knew they had this. Ruby would be fine.

     "Shit, I almost forgot," Yang noted with a chuckle. Her mom shook her head, running her hands through the now dimmed black hair, gold roots showing through.

     "Don't tell her that, Mija. Goodluck," Envida offered, shooting her daughter a warm loving smile. Yang felt a comfort, good to feel her mother there for her. Even with Summer gone, she still had her own super mom.

     "Don't worry, I'm going to completely blow her away," Yang half told Envida and half told herself. Walking out of sight towards her room, the golden girl poked her head out one last time to offer her mom a gift back, just a small thing for always putting her on the right path. "Hey mama, if you're looking for an excuse to dye your hair again, know that I think it makes you look hot as fuck and you should totally do it." Envida snorted a laugh, unable to contain herself. Perfect response.

     "Ay Dios mija," Envida cackled, "Go, you're an embarrassment."

     "Love you, too, mama!"

* * *

     Yang felt the gentle fury of bumblebee purr through her as the refitted and cleaned up bike pulled her along the village she had lived her whole life. This place, its quaint existence always made busier by the neighboring city, had never been that unusual. Not till she started showing it off to Ruby. The sunset trickled over the valley and into the sea gained a whole spectrum of color Yang had never noticed. The church house turned from a gnarly place to hide away into a stellar art piece. The calm of this place became a strange, wondrous thing. She was bringing a freshness to this Hamlet, one Yang couldn't tell was there until the smoke was clear. Now, bathed in the last gold light, storming through town with Ruby's eyes, and a pleasant jig playing in her head, Yang was finally living again. _Let's keep that up, girl._

     Speed building, the road left their mountain hovels and began the swerving spiral to El Vale. The winter months were starting up, and the winds snaked up the path from the sea, chilly enough to break out the tan leather coats and knee high boots Yang loved. Her best jeans, without a touch of fading, for her Blake. She could feel the gust shear on her face and through her clothes, down to her yellow tank underneath, and while her gloved hands felt numb as they revved bumblebee forward, Yang felt filled to the brim with life.

     By the time Yang made it into town, the only things golden were her and the street lights. Their meeting place and time was the same as ever. Why change it? Port's Pub was important for them both, and Yang was on this whole kick of "moving forward isn't erasing your past" adult bullshit wisdom anyways. Parking, she was back, not nearly as nervous now, as Yang had grown accustomed to be since the disaster last year. It was only up from the bottom of the hole, and Yang found it easy to climb.

     "The prodigal daughter returns!" This arrival was not nearly as shocking as the last time she busted open the doors of Port's fine institute. This run Fox just gave her a nod, a few of the other students shot her a glance before turning back. Coco didn't even manage that, ignoring her in favor of serving a small table of sailors. Yang didn't care, not even a little, because for after all their eyes turned away, an amber pair looked towards her and smiled. Blake Belladonna waved. Every other kid in the room might as well fall off the Earth.

     "Yang, I got us a table!" Blake called out, just above the rabble voices that fought to disturb them. A force jerked Yang forward, a child-like excitement. For once she didn't feel the need to keep her cool. Didn't even bother with a saunter. Blake was right there, legit this time. She was going for it.

     "I'm sorry I'm late, Ruby's been going through some stuff so I kind of kicked it with her for a bit," Yang mumbled her excuse, sliding herself into the seat across from Blake. She considered reaching out for her, or more accurately tackling her. Of course, sense won out and Yang took her rightful place across the table, leaving her hand resting at the center, a little invite if Blake picked up on it.

     "It's fine," Blake answered, shifting herself back in her chair, "she hasn't been in class and Weiss is acting weird. I think they had a fight. Is Ruby okay?"

     "Yeah," Yang replied half sure, "She's just taking a break, coming back Monday and she's even having a little slumber party today, which she kicked me out of by the way, little bitch." Blake laughed soundlessly at that, her smile flashing white teeth for a moment before devolving into the slight tugging grin she was known for. It was a gorgeous sight, just her. She had gone all out. Her blouse was clean white, near formalwear levels. Her jeans were skin tight and black as her hair, hair a wavy straight that transformed to curls at the ends, beautifully constructed. Though she hardly needed it, makeup highlighted a pale complexion, red lipstick sexy on the queen of monochromatic colors. The only thing that broke her clothings tones were the purple accents on her light parka hanging off the chair, unneeded inside the heated pub. "So where do you want to go?" Yang asked, getting right into it.

     "Well here, food's already coming. I ordered for you, and before you start complaining, I know your order, we serve like four food items. I can handle that," Blake cut off Yang's complaint before she could even muster the time to have one. Miss Belladonna always was the take charge type, but no one had ever manage to cage Yang 100% in her life before, and this certainly wasn't going to be the first.

     "Lame, don't you want to go somewhere else? I can take you out somewhere nice," Yang protested with a devil's grin. She didn't know where she would bring Blake, she could find something, they could find it together. See the new spectrum of colors she had not before. Mom wouldn't settle, why her?

     "Yang, we are both college kids," Blake replied with a disinterested lecturer's tone, "I work a low wage job and you don't have one, and as your mom constantly reminds you: you better start living like that's the case. This is our place, we hang here all the time, why not, you know," Blake hitched on the exact word, confident, but not too confident to avoid a fluster, "you know, date."

     "Because you deserve adventure," Yang shot back, dauntless enough to know that, "We eat here, but tonight we're going to rediscover this town." Blake chuckled in disbelief, but Yang doubled down on her wager. She knew there was more to see together.

     "Yang, you've shown me everything you know and you've lived here since you were born. I doubt there is any new adventure you've not burned a trail on."

     "I don't know," Yang countered, "Ruby's made me realize that there is always something fantastical to be found if you stop expecting the mundane."

     "Still on your New Age wisdom trip, huh?"

     "Blame my mom. She's a terrible influence."

     "Shush, your mom's the coolest," Blake chastised, taking a sip from a beer she had ordered earlier, "the only thing that's kept you alive." She wasn't wrong. A lot of people were looking out for Yang, a whole lot of amazing people caught in her blind spot.

     "You know she misses you," Yang mentioned, politely suggesting she come over so Envida could unmiss her and the pair could storm up to the bedroom to rediscover each other in new ways. _Calm down, you're about ten steps off the path, Yang._ "She also called you pretty and approved of our date, incase you were wondering."

     "She should, I'm the best deal you'll ever have," Blake shot back as monotone as she could manage, her tell a tiny smile. Yang leaned back, impressed by her confidence. Self-righteous arrogance could be a little hot in the form of Belladonna.

     "Jesus, someone thinks they're the second coming, I see." The two girls were both caught by surprise as the ever extreme Coco Adel, eyes hid behind her usual sunglasses, a grin that shouted what hot shit she was, for calling their relationship. Yang had to admit, she had made an excellent unintentional wingman. "Don't let her bullshit fool you, bloody thing's been staring at that door waiting for her lover to come walking in and send her away from this god awful place." Yang snorted a laugh while Blake sat discontented with a stare that screamed a simple 'really?'

     "So, Coco," Blake began her offensive with a chilled tone, keeping pleasant and taunting, "I've noticed Velvet hasn't been staying at the dorms lately." _Well that's news_ , Yang barely kept from screeching. She must have been making some kind of face, because Coco glared at the golden girl as heartlessly as covered eyes allowed.

     "Everyone needs a rebound once in awhile," Coco defended, unable to deny the accusation. Whether calling herself a rebound was a shockingly self-aware, or predictably distant, way to put it was yet to be seen, though Blake seemed to have some theories of her own. Ones she was happy to play with aloud.

     "That all it is, Coco?" Blake near whispered, careful to make sure she was audible in this noise sink of pub. Yang begged whatever god might exist that she get to see Coco Adel, the boss of downtown, the queen of Port's Pub, blush like a good Catholic girl during her first time. The dream was not made manifest. Coco kept her reaction cold, but the heavy thud of plates of food near slammed on the table was reward enough.

     "Don't push it, dear," Coco threatened, forcing a few giggle fits from the pair. This clearly disgusted her to the delight of both of the culprits. Fresh food, an angry Coco, geting Blake, and possibly getting her fired, Yang could hardly imagine reaching for more from her day. Still, what was Yang, but ever selfish.

     "Hey Coco?" The manager ceased her exit, but did not turn around. "Would you maybe watch my bike here? I'm taking the missus out to a fine night on the town, and that probably involves me getting a little turnt before the night's over," Yang paused, considering how far she wanted to push this. Always more. "I'm shooting for a bit more than being the rebound, wanna make it special. Pretty please? I'll be your best friend."

     "Oh," Coco shook her head at the audacity, but still, as always, she was an excellent wingman, "You'll be my bitch is what you'll be. Never stir another bloody shit storm in my pub again, and stop her moody "oh she doesn't like me, but she does" bullshit once and for all. You two alone give me hypertension, I swear it!"

     "Thank's b, you the best!" Yang shouted at her as the infamous girl stepped down to her begging patrons. Such a noble spirit.

     "She's in love. I feel it," Blake whispered as soon as Coco was firmly out of earshot, letting loose the inner gossip girl. Blake looked the definition of cheeky, clever, unpinnable, holder of all secrets, the boss of their little crew of strange friends. Been a while since Yang got to watch her free of all the bullshit, happily examining the contours of her grins, the way her hair only curled at the end, clean and straight for her bangs. So long. The food seemed irrelevant now. Yang could guilt free stare into her Amber eyes, why even eat? Yang was pretty sure Coco wasn't the only one in love all along.

     "Spill it."

* * *

**Blake Belladonna**

     "You're insatiable!" Blake cried out, following her date slash capturer. They had left Port's Pub as soon as their meal ended, left the plaza, and just went. Where was irrelevant. Yang had decided north on a whim, noting the statue seemed to look kinda north-ie in direction. Of course they couldn't even run down to the boardwalk the normal way. Instead, Yang had them take the backgrounds, glued to the city's old walls, passing through alleys and small plazas, unexpected places, darting into what was unknown . Nothing too shocking, but the space felt different. Older, but what didn't? Bordered with a towering tan stone structure, held up by engineering done well over five hundred years prior, perhaps this wall section was Roman? The Greek village of legend? The Spanish monarchs defending from invading Moors? The Moors defending against the Franks? Along the low yellow lights and the old stones, it was their story to decide, she supposed.

     "And you're a whiner," Yang shot back, pulling Blake along as they stepped down the ever sloping path, road curving ever closer to the sea, the smell of salt already rich in the air, only slightly tainted by the heavy scent of the fishermen's works. In a way, it was a bonus. Blake was already hungering for something on the swimming side of things.

     "I am from the near tropical lagoons of Italy, it is winter now, and this jacket is not nearly as thick as it looks," Blake pressed her complaint, half serious. The sky was clear, but sunlight ended hours ago and those distant stars never were warm enough. "I am going to enter cryogenic stasis before I make it to whatever you were hoping to find." Yang whipped right around to catch Blake by her hips, something sultry in how she moved and stared and licked and everything.

     "I can warm you right up if you want." Blake could see Yang swallow as she delivered her line with usual confidence and valour. This girl was burning hot, hands warm on her hips, but Blake couldn't resist a smile, maybe blushing, certainly laughing. This woman was ridiculousness cast in gold.

     "What happened to not jumping right into bed?" Blake asked, planting an extra layer of pressure. Yang didn't falter, the gears in her mind were turning out a come back as soon as the question escaped Blake's mouth.

     "There is a lot in between this and our hotel room antics." Yang pulled her partner closer, their bodies touching from the chest to their hips. Grip wasn't so strong as to feel like a trap, but Blake could recognize the intoxicating feeling of being so close. The miasma once breathed in made her lightheaded, a need to let her in with only a slight hint of wistfulness.

     "I don't know if that's a great idea," Blake resisted, but only a little. She leaned in, kissing Yang's cheek so as to avoid kissing everything else. Cheek to cheek, Blake gave in, whispering in her date's ears gently, "Get me a few drinks and some fish tapas and we might find some middle ground."

     Yang didn't need much more direction than that, pressed entwined against the great walls of El Vale, hinting at something, even if neither really knew what. They ran off together, like school girls high on their first loves, despite being far from either. Linked they followed the wall to the sea, the bulwark leading to a watchful tower, resting on a rocky offshoot of the beach.

     To the fortifications left was a section of boardwalk that neither found familiar. Still, its white wooden boardwalks had life to them. Couples linked like, Yang and Blake quickly became, and most importantly bars, left out to the open air some reaching far over the beach, served drinks and food late into the night for the tourist that flooded Spain while the rest of Europe froze over.

     Walking onto the promenade together, arm in arm. The local street musicians, who were playing on whatever they could afford, deftly switched from a soothing classical tone to a lively jig that put motion in one's feet and forced them happily to dance. Blake felt mildly embarrassed by the attention, but Yang? She loved it, even shooting the lead player a thumbs up, stirring the man further.

     "I believe he is encouraging us to dance?" Yang grasped Blake's hands so they would be connected during this foolishness.

     "I think you're encouraging him to encourage us to dance," Blake corrected, not wanted to dance under prying eyes, even as other couples and singles were already at it, taking a cue from the music and the party atmosphere. "Besides, you promised me tapas and beer, and I don't think his guitar pours out gat from the tap."

     "No, I promised you adventure, and here we are." Yang did not relinquish this, and so it was. Together they danced _something._ The golden girl was wild, uncontrolled by anything but the rhythm. It was strange compared to Blake, who moved in stilted, controlled, and bewildered jerks. More began to join, and Yang kept close, forcing her date out of her shell with subtle, but increasingly lewd moves.

     "Oh god, please stop," Blake asked, breaking her dance to laugh as Yang was 'accidentally' grinding against her side in criminal fashion.

     "Nope," Yang replied, leaning backwards into Blake's shoulder. With a swift turn of her head, Yang returned that cheek kiss from before, always so quick to get revenge. The Italian was left speechless, and her Spanish date took the opportunity to dance her butt right into Blake's crotch.

     "I'm going to kill you." The laughter hid Blake's seriousness as she pushed Yang away by her hips. Of course, the golden girl took this opportunity to do a little sensual jig in her hands.

     "You wouldn't survive the attempt," Yang muttered, turning around to dance for real, the two of them locked more sexually as the music took on a slightly more tactile taste. They didn't say much more than that, embarrassed, sappy, or just tired, they swung around in loops as the people began to dissipate. Even they, as the atmosphere drained and their legs, or at least Blake's, grew weary, passed the musicians a few euros and finally got themselves that fish and beer dream Blake thirsted for.

     It was a dinky little beach place, yet the food was good, drinks better than water, and company surprisingly alive. The pair tagged onto the same table as a group of Indian college tourist who had come for the winter and joined them on the momentary street dance off. Together, both parties drank, laughed, swapped stories of what was best to do in the city and what they had done in their lives. Eventually it devolved into everyone watching Yang and one of the girls, Arslan, play a gnarly game of waterfall. At what cost? A stumbling, and slightly more ragged golden girl.

     "Dude, I wanna jump off the balcony," Yang announced, staring out the bar's deck at the beach below, her drunken sense a hefty lack thereof.

     "Yang, don't," Blake warned, waving goodbye to their new friends and stepping back ever slowly toward her now well wasted partner. Yang was undeterred.

     "I want. To jump. Off the balcony." She kept glaring off at the waters flowing in and out between the rocks and sands of El Vale's coastline. She had a smirk, a devil's smirk, a dangerous smirk

     "Yang, seriously, don't. You'll get hurt," Blake reasoned, not well enough.

     "I wanna jump off the balcony!" she roared, jumping onto the wooden fencing with ease, her athletic prowess a threat to her own well being after downing enough to knock out Arslan.

     "Goddamn it, don't!" Blake screeched to no avail. Yang jumped down with a flip, a heavy thud sounding off when she hit the beach below. Frightened, the soberer of the two bolted to the balcony's edge to look and see what horror her night had ended in.

     "I jumped off the balcony!" Blake was rewarded with the sight of a laughing Yang as she lay collapsed on a buffer of sand, not the rocks Blake had feared would be there. Gifted with luck, the drop here was only a couple of feed, the waters still a good distance away, and the space clear from any danger.

     "Jesus, Yang, you're going to kill me!"

     "No, _I'm_ going to kill me!" Yang joked, finding it a hell of a lot funnier than Blake did.

     "I'm coming down to get you!" Unaware if it was even legal to do so, the soberish girl began her descent, climbing over the fence and carefully lowering herself down to the sandy beach bottom. There the wind was icy and the light was blocked by the piers. Nothing but light from the city behind Blake, an ocean in front of her, and lastly, a sandy drunk with her.

     "It's nice down here. Join me!" Yang petitioned.

     "I think we need to get you home," Blake suggested, reaching down for her date's hand, but with twice her strength, and swift to move, Yang pulled her down to the sand below, careful to catch her so it wouldn't hurt. In the daze, the drunker of the two rolled over her, and a moment later the tables were completely turned. Yang's hands were laid on either side of Blake's face, blonde hair flowing over both of them, covered in bits of sand, filtering out the city and starlight to make a gold atmosphere that highlighted her.

     Blake was afraid for little over a second, not sure what of, but looking into Yang, her eyes a sweet violet, her smile child- like, background decorated by a sky full of stars and a moon shining despite the meager crescent it occupied.

     "If my coat has one scratch from the sand, I'm killing you," Blake threatened to clear the air. Yang chuckled as she collapsed, arms folded and body quick to mold on top of her date's. Of all the date ideas Blake had, cuddling in the sand after falling off a bar wasn't anywhere near her expectations. Still, this was... this was sweet. Weird, but wild. Not something she hated. Despite the ocean winds chilling them, with Yang on top of her, it was warm on that dark beach.

     "Mmmm, this is my Tao," the drunk muttered comfortably into Blake's neck, a soft tickle she definitely didn't mind.

     "Your what?" Blake asked as their arms began to find ways to weave around each other.

     "Chinese shit, don't worry about it," her adorable mixed race date grumbled in a hush voice.

     "What has your dad been teaching you?" Blake joked, petting her date's back with swift gentle motions.

     "It's my culture, shut up," Yang complained, getting a little tight with the hug. "I don't have time to explain the intricacies of Laozi's philosophies."

     "I don't think you're sober enough to explain the intricacies of a poptart," Blake replied, finding the stirrings of this grown woman adorable.

     "Tart, frosting, some jelly shit, that's Jenga motherfucker!" Yang thrashed about a free arm in victory..

     "I stand corrected, oh wise one," Blake let out softly, not feeling the need to do just about anything. The world would keep on spinning if they had this one little spot of the beach to themselves, so long as no one started dumping trash.

     "No, you're laying corrected. Am I the drunk one?" Yang countered. Blake did not give this the dignity of a response, letting a lull in for the night. Her eyes focused on the sky. It was nothing but light on one side, dark on the other, the shadow of the tower over her, the structure a dark fort in the sea from her perspective. This place was beautiful.

     "Hey," Yang muttered, the first to fill in the silence, "Can I stay at the dorms tonight? I mean, not like to have sex, but just... Be around." The girl who had come back to her from that trip was so different, so much more self aware, still Yang, but leagues older. Blake trusted this Yang to mean that completely.

     "Yeah, sure. When you're ready we can go back." Blake felt something stir, arms wrap themselves more tightly, more desperate. Afraid even.

     "Are you going to run away the next day?" Yang asked in such a small voice, barely a half whisper into the audible range, a knife twisting she understandably deserved.

     "No," Blake whispered, regretful of much of her life, filled with thousands of good and bad actions, remorseful for more than was fair, and most of all for what. "I think we've had enough of running from our choices." She was done with running, running to each corner of the earth, running so long nothing followed her, and the earth felt strange under motionless feet.

     "I love you," Yang bumbled out, breath and small tears against Blake's neck. An admission of weakness, a show of vulnerability. Drunk, but still full of meaning. Time had repeated, a bed replaced with sand, three nights with one, confidence with fear, but it had repeated. One shot to try again, not erase mistakes, but not repeat them.

     "I love you, too." She had the first time. Every time after, a year of loveless choices made by people so deeply in love. "I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

**Ruby Rose**

     "Hey Rubes." Taiyang's voice pulled Ruby out of her stasis, locked laying on her couch since Yang had left. The sunshine told her it hadn't been long. Her phone was tossed into some corner, to be ignored least the texts make her break. Ruby didn't even know why she was being so obstinate, she didn't really know why she was being anything.

     "Yeah, what's up dad?" Ruby replied, pulling herself up to face him. He rarely came down into the basement, probably trying to keep her room pure, sort of safe from parents or anyone uninvited. He seemed to toy with his phone nervously before sitting down. He looked worried, confused always, and like usual unsure how to be a parent. For someone who was a pretty alright dad, he sure seemed befuddled by it.

     "Your friends are here, or the English one is at least. I forget her name—"

     "Penny!" Ruby immediately went rigid, feeling like an idiot for all the wasted time, "I need to take a quick shower. Shit I forgot, can you stall her?" Taiyang chuckled, despite keeping that wistful smile. Something else was up.

     "Sure, Rubbles, but I wanted to talk to you about something." Talking about something was the worst way to start anything. Immediately, Ruby was worried it had to be about Mr. Schnee. Had he contacted him? Was there a legal issue? New word about what happened to mom and some new way to reinvent her demise.

     "What's wrong?" Ruby kept the internal storm, just that, internal.

     "Yang said you were," he paused, hitting a hitch, not able to find a proper way to address it. It was about mom. "She thinks what has you upset is your mother. You're having trouble working through that." _Why don't you just get over mom? God!_ played in Ruby's head, even though she knew that was absolutely not what he was trying to say. Upset as she was, Ruby aware she was just sensitive. When hurting it was hard not to see comfort as threats.

     "I guess. I just thought I was over it and things came up and it just... I don't feel like I know what to do. Every time I feel like me, I feel like I find a new way to just..." _To watch her die in your head and knowing 'it's going to be okay' is a promise no one can make._ Ruby kept that voice in her head down. It would go away, she would find a steady place to be somehow.

     "Your mother was an amazing person, a better parent than I know how to be, and a better human than probably anyone I know. I don't know how to make things better, but I promise I'm here, and if you need more than that, maybe someone who knows how to help with grief consoling, you don't need to be worried about asking." Ruby smiled hearing that. Despite knowing there was nothing for her to really talk about and work out with him, knowing, despite how awkward and ineffectual he was, there was a sincerity in how he talked that was just endearing.

     "Thanks, I'll be okay dad." After all, she would have to be. Got to find a way to put a smile back on at the end of the day.

     "One last thing. Your mother made a video for you. If things didn't get easier, she wanted you to see it." A tenseness ran through Ruby, clutched her lungs, didn't want to let go. This was it, wasn't it? The new way. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but she only wanted you to see it after a long time or if you just couldn't let go. She never wanted to be what dragged you down. She trusted me with that, so I've emailed it to you. It's up to you to watch it. Whenever you're ready. Alone, or with me if you want."

     Ruby breathed deep. She didn't blame dad, didn't hate him, but it scared her. Still. Nothing could be done. Penny was here. She was showered. The video had to wait. Ruby preferred it that way.

     "Okay," Ruby accepted she would have to be, "I'm going to shower. You stall Penny. Everything else, just later." _Later_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for all the reviews last time around you guys are great and I hope you enjoy the last bumblebee chapter. Next one is the end guys! Last of Choice proper! There will be extras I'm making in december, but the core story will end. Been so much fun! Also about the german in the last chapter, it's just there for atmosphere, to hit you over the head with that feeling that everyone's speaking gibberish. It is real german, but like all scenes, if it was that important, I would translate. Also NEW SEASON! Pretty alright so far!
> 
> The Lines of dialogue about falling off the balcony were actually word for word written by LazyKatze in a skype discussion about the Yang and Blake drunken fight. Originally this balcony scene was suppose to start the fight between them in the earlier chapters, but instead felt more jovial and were moved here. I felt like they were words said by someone finding their old glory again, not losing it. So she gets thanks not only as a top tier editor but also 
> 
> SO I HAVE ACCIDENTALLY BEEN CALLING NORA DUTCH NOT DANISH AND I JUST WHY DID NO ONE NOTICE THIS?!


	21. Choice

     Waking up wasn't the usual haze of blurriness. These days the first sensation was the chill of a winter morning and the harsh throb radiating from her still bruised knuckles. The cuts had mostly healed, all the glass pulled out, but dragging oneself up from the depths of sleep meant experiencing every worldly sensation as fresh as they came. The dull ache was definitely one of them.

     Weiss pulled herself up, immune to the aforementioned cold as the combined force of air conditioning and Spain's worst curving over her thin blue nightgown could not compare to a German frost fall. Hair like streams of silver rain ran down her body and face, an inconvenient nuisance as she ignored the sting in her bandaged limb and went for her phone. Brushing those strands away, her alerts appeared just shy of what was desired. Another message from father, asking her how she was and sending more money to her account and another from Winter, juxtaposed perfectly as she bitched about the purchase of more equipment, which was mostly to replace what was torn asunder days prior. Expensive, but they would come in just the same, hell to any other Schnee who said she couldn't have them. After all, had it not been for their interference, she wouldn't have needed to smash them. _No, you're the one being a child._

     She regretted that, ruining her prime method of catharsis. She had other instruments, and instead of her guitar she did pick up a bass or violin, when her hand allowed, but without the recording equipment, it all felt for naught. It robbed her of finding something in the heartache received every morning Ruby sent her nothing. _Get up, don't be pathetic._

     Weiss obeyed, standing in the morning light. It was an early Sunday, the clock had struck nine just barely a moment prior and painfully devoid of a class for distraction. No rush to find out if Ruby was there today. Weiss knew of the party, respected the unspoken requisition of space. The mean time was spent plucking meaninglessly at the strings of a cello, the wire's sting long since dulled by her calloused fingertips. The sound produced was a strange blend, an unintended consequence of the nature of strings that allowed it to be played like a guitar, a deeper rhythm to her strumming, no real composition or thought to give. Just movements to pass the time. Pass it till something, _anything_ happened. For good or ill, this waiting was bound to put Weiss in the grave sooner rather than later.

     As the repetitive jerking of strings threatened Weiss, choked her, as notes entered her mind and transcribed that night, it put her personal failings to music. She meant to avoid it, but that natural inclination dragged a focus out of her. Violins from the walls accompanied the concerto Weiss made in her head, the center a piano instead of a cello. Harsh minor key chords followed a one two pattern. An anthem to stupid decisions. The idiocy, foolishness she was still feeling, thinking Summer's passing could ever be so simple as a weapon pointed at Weiss. _Stupid._ It was just as absurd as Winter seeing her as paperwork. Father spilled pounds of bullshit into her life, telling the sisters to have more humanity wasn't. Weiss was rewarded with an excellent view as she watched Ruby walk away from such a selfish perspective. _Stupid._ She couldn't spare a moment from her own fears of being torn apart to tell Ruby it was okay, that she was there for her, that she didn't have to re-experience the loss of a mother by herself. Instead, Weiss, with the wisdom of the brat she was, told her to just cast it off like a little bit of thrown mud, to ignore it like a blatant attack. _Stupid_.

     Weiss' phone went off, pulling her out of her mind and back into her room. The girl's hands had stopped playing, the bandaged one clenched so hard she knew her nails would leave temporary dents in her palm, another silly expression of angst that was frankly beneath her. The silver girl snatched her phone with a mixture of excited interest and cautious optimism. It was a text, but again not Ruby. An unknown number, an entirely different country code, not her girlfriend this time.

     Ready to give up, Weiss opened the text, a short message, one line. 'This is Penny, if you can, I think you should really come to Ruby's house. '

     Weiss didn't need much else to get ready. The signal, as well as it could be, was sent. She had always had a spirit that preferred action over patience, perfection in execution of course, but never simply waiting for life to come to her. She was showered in record time, cutting minutes by mixing in dental care as she went. No jewelry attached to her finished body and only the most basic of product. She dressed well, unwilling to be a slob, but quickly. Blouse, jeans with uggs, and a tan, fur lined peacoat. She, despite her bandages, pulled her hair into the stylish off kilter ponytail she was famous for, and stepped out her door once again. It was time to procure the last need: transportation.

     "Uhh, what is it?" Weiss heard from beyond Blake's door. It was the Italian, not her target, but another groaning voice proved her theory right. Yang was in there.

     "It's Weiss. I need to speak with Yang!" Lying about the dorm rooms, hoping Ruby would stumble her way in, allowed Weiss to watch the sister do it instead. The two were a tempest of laughs, waking anyone who chanced to not find some other way to spend a Saturday. Where Yang was, bumblebee couldn't have shied too far off.

     "We don't want any!" Yang answered, much as Weiss predicted. This was not how this ended, so close, clawing at the opportunity to set it all right. Three steps away from avoiding calamity, Weiss god damn Schnee was not going to be stopped.

     "Yang!" Weiss punctuated with a heavy knock, "Xiao!" another followed just as hearty as the last, "Long!" Schnees were no nuisance to ignore, and her first slammed unrelenting into the frame. Was this going to make her Blake's most beloved friend? Heavens no, but what else mattered than the red in her white-washed world.

     "What in god's name could you possibly want this bad!" Yang swung the door open with such force the handle could have easily embedded itself in the wall. Blake even stared surprised. Weiss, however, stood firm and unphased by the beast in mad gold curls.

     "If you're done freshening up post coitus, Yang, I need your help," Weiss tried to be nice and spectacularly failed. She lacked the skills to converse with the sister without taking the piss out of her. Still, seeing them both in pajamas, Blake's it seemed as they were terribly tight around Yang's abs, was positive. Happy Yang meant a happy Ruby and Blake, which could start sending them down the proper path of being at each other's throats, but with marketably less gusto.

     "First off, we did not have sex, I slept in Velvet's bunk. I'm on this whole showing restraint and whatever thing. Anyways, second, the hell is up with you?! It's like ten on a Saturday! People are hungover, Weiss!" Yang pointed out in accusation, eyes still crusty from sleep. Weiss was unwilling to waste the time with an explanation, especially given she didn't have one. Instead, she embarked on the simplest path, shoving the texts right in the girl's face.

     "Ruby needs us, we have to go." Yang pulled the phone from her hand, lilac eyes darting over the short message five more times than necessary. Weiss crossed her arms distasteful of any response other than, 'let's go.'

     "Ruby's tougher than you give her credit for," Blake butt in unwelcome, but Weiss resisted the urge to initiate a verbal smack down, "she doesn't need anything, but she could use patience and understanding till she comes back." Blake wasn't _wrong_ , but it certainly didn't make it any less irritating. Half a week of worrying, a smashed keyboard, a plethora of churning guilt, Weiss did not go quietly into that good night.

     "It's from Penny, she has no interest in us getting back together. If she's asking for me then this must clearly be worthy of our concern," Weiss contended, unwilling to give in so easily. Yang let out an annoyed click, calling Blake to her sweetly. The newly minted partner put her light hand on Yang's exposed tan shoulder. The ease was palatable, and with a breath, they all looked to the sister's confirmation.

     "Alright," Yang let up, closing the phone and tossing it back to Weiss like a coin of fate, hopefully coming up heads, "let's get going, we've got a Ruby to comfort. Special girlfriend delivery." Yang, for all her shortcomings, was a predictably good sister, turning right around to gather what she needed to save the day.

     Weiss was committed, however, to not act as predicted. To leave behind the selfishness, a husk of an unhealthy Schnee-centric view imparted by years of getting whatever she wanted. Be the person Ruby needed, not just wanted her to be. To act with some actual grace, to be gentle while it was needed, to prove herself worthy not just of an accepted sorry, but of a future together.

     Without meaning to, without sense or reason, Ruby Rose had carved herself a fitting room in Weiss' heart, found a warm spot by the furnace of her soul, sprang forth music when there was silence, and churned up storms when there had been nothing but sterile desert. Basically Weiss was falling fast, terminal velocity, coming crashing down.

     But Schnees don't crash; they land with elegance fitting of a god damn lady.

* * *

**Ruby Rose**

     "Alright, Ruby," Nora growled in a threatening predatorial rumble, hungry for whatever evil she could inflict, "Truth... or... dare?!" The Danish girl was near bouncing from her throne on the couch, clad in a simple boop shirt and paper-like shorts. Unsurprisingly, she found the most life after a day of fun, enough to stir them all awake and finish their hybrid abomination of Dare Super Dare, The Question Game, and Truth or Dare that seemed to change rules with every turn.

     "Truth," Ruby requested for many reasons, because the biggest one of all was that this was one Rose that intended to stay in her hammock until the house burnt down. This little web of ropes and warped mattress was a welcome home, considering how late they were up. She could cocoon herself in this, live there, start a small utopian society. None would know the fear of winter's cold or the horrors of responsibility, not in Rubyville, where blankets ran free and the naps were long.

     "I truth you to dare!" Nora shouted, heroically circumventing the rules again. Ruby envied her morning enthusiasm. It was hard to muster lately, but definitely the way to be.

     "Please truth. I really don't wanna get up, I am like one with comfort," Ruby begged, letting herself laugh at her own joke. Truly though, this was peace.

     "But I'm awful at truth!" Nora protested, dropping her body back onto the couch defeated, "At least with dare I can make you do jumping jacks till you throw up. Now I'll just look like an idiot who doesn't know how to even come up with a simple truth! I mean, who can't come up with a question? How do I even have friends exposed as a loser like this?" Nora's meltdowns seemed comical in nature, but Ruby always felt bad laughing.

     "It's okay, Nora. I love your truths, they have a simple brilliance to them!" Ruby mostly BSed. Wasn't really like she was into the idea of rating friends by their individual skill at bored people party games. Heck, Ruby didn't even have enough friends to make any kind of competition for her. When the first round of the final round, best not to turn your social groups into thunderdome.

     "I got a question if you don't mind, Nora," Penny interrupted from the floor, bundled in blankets like a Yorkshire mummy. Certainly surprising to hear her speak, the girl had mostly been silent all morning, even more so than last night, upset after dragging the truth about the night with the Schnees out of Ruby. The party was suppose to celebrate all the steps forward she had made in her life: getting a girlfriend, choosing a program, letting go of mom. Ruby wasn't surprised Penny was disappointed to find she hadn't managed a single one of those all over the course one night. _Well, I suppose I still have Weiss..._ assuming she even wanted her after being ignored for half a week…and continued to be so.

     "Yes, Penny, my dearest friend, save me from this shame!" Nora immediately accepted, practically dropping down to her knees to be saved. Girl was too hyper for early mornings. This was not right for a mortal.

     "Well," Penny started, looking away from either of them, a tiny ginger thing on the floor. Her voice was hushed as if she was about to whisper a deep dark secret, not ask a silly question game remark, "Ruby, how mad would you be if Weiss came over?"

     "I don't know. Not really? I just wouldn't know what to say," Ruby admitted all without thinking, without asking why on earth Penny would ask that. It took the words leaving her mouth for Ruby to put the pieces together. "Penny," she asked, calmly, unable to really muster anger, more a confused why, "Truth or Dare." There was no hiding the awareness in her voice, or the melancholic sound of someone recently betrayed.

     "Dare, please?" Penny squeaked, hiding despite knowing Ruby had figured her out immediately. Picking dare over truth was just a short delay of the inevitable. If Nora put it together, she remained silent as the air grew increasingly tense.

     "I dare you to tell me the truth: did you tell Weiss to come over, and if so, why?" The first half was a formality, letting Penny admit to it without it being thrusted on her. The latter was the true line of questioning. Didn't even really make sense, as the young English ginger had all to lose, sacrificing trust to what? Making things awkward? Ruby couldn't parse a reason out.

     "Yo Penny, it's a little early to be making moves, you think?" Nora finally got involved, whispering to the more orange of the two friends. She had intended to keep Ruby out of her machinations, but was either really deaf or terrible at judging earshot.

     "No, I just," Penny sighed, pausing to find the words, her phone flipped over to a number Ruby assumed was Weiss'. What was said couldn't be made out, but any educated guess pointed to them getting an unexpected guest.

     "Penny, it's okay. Just talk to me?" Ruby tried to reassure her friend that, despite it being shitty, Ruby wasn't going to disown her and toss the poor girl into the woods to be set upon by the wolves.

     "Ruby, I think you need to talk to her. You're hiding, friend, but that's not working. You've been stuck in the mud since you got here," Penny sighed, unable to look at either of her watching friends, "And we've never been the ones to get you out. Weiss has." The truth stung Penny just as much as it did Ruby. Reality was that neither of them had the power to do what they wanted, not by themselves. Wasn't like Ruby didn't know that, didn't realize she was hiding, not dealing with it. Was it so evil to just want to close her eyes to wait till the world turned over and the problems solved themselves? "There is a person in you Ruby, she's smart, driven, awkward like me, but brave. You said you wanted to be that person, so I called over the only girl that brings her out of you."

     Ruby bit her lips to hold back any denial. Her hands held the sheets of the blanket tight around her, but there was no avoiding this. Part of her wanted to try, to text Weiss to stay home, to hide again for weeks, retreat to the cowardly self that she knew she never really was. Yet she didn't. Ruby remembered a little girl who faced monsters, who wanted to make the fairy tales real, the little girl who had become a grown woman in the last month or so. She remembered the self she wanted to be, and the promise.

_I better get a really bloody good reason._

     With a deep breath, blowing air into her lungs to free up the cobwebs, Ruby tossed aside her blanket. Time to be brave again. Pinned in a corner, what else was there to do? Find herself and stand, even for a minute.

     "So," Ruby asked, turning her legs over the edge of the hammock, plopping down onto her feet by herself for a little while, no other options proving a good motivator, "How much time do I have?"

* * *

     "So, you girls sure you don't wanna stay another night?" Taiyang asked the two gingers who awaited Ruby in the living room. Ruby came down freshly washed and bathed, hair languide wet ribbons of black oil and molten red. She gave herself enough time to dress as the old Ruby, a gothic skirt to go with her dark blouse and red jacket with stylistic black graphics. The ensemble was designed to remind herself that the dulled, passionless person she liked to hide in was more the ghost of her mother than the reality of Ruby.

     "Nah, Ruby has to face her ultimate destiny and basically make the final decisions that everything's been leading up to," Nora answered, dramatizing the day and passing its events completely over Ruby's father's head, "and we don't wanna cramp her style and stuff, you know, but I'm betting on a happy ending." Penny laughed watching Taiyang's face contort into something that matched his real confusion.

     "What?" he asked with a smile, blinking rapidly like he had missed some visual aid to explain this strange Danish child.

     "What my mate means is: Weiss is coming soon and she and Ruby need to talk about things. It's best we leave them be, wouldn't you think so sir?" Penny simplified down a few steps closer to reality, though Nora would probably suggest she was ruining the fun.

     "Don't worry about it dad. Sorry for making you rush them home," Ruby cut in as she stepped out into the open. Penny flashed her a thumbs up in approval. Taiyang nodded with a happy grin, fairly blind the the intricacies, but better off that way.

     "Damn Ruby, you're going to kill her with sexyiness before you even talk!" Nora shouted, much more explosive with her support than the others, and frankly more than needed. Taiyang choked on the word sexy, mind erasing it the second he heard it.

     "Come on, my hair hasn't even dried. I look like a mess." Ruby gripped her left arm with her right, a common tweek of hers when she was embarrassed. "Penny, how much time we got?"

     "Any minute to be honest. She hasn't said anything in awhile, so I assume she's driving. She's so bloody curt, how do you manage that?" Penny asked, discovering firsthand the wonders of one on one communication with the elegant Weiss Schnee.

     "You realize her sweetness isn't in what she says," Ruby replied, believing it.

     "So is everyone ready to head out?" Taiyang interjected, snatching his keys and wallet, "I'm assuming you're staying Rubes? Is Weiss going to need a ride home?" He started his way towards the door, the train of girls following with sleepover supplies strung over their shoulders.

     "I don't know," Ruby admitted. How this was all going to go was a mile from planned. One step at a time. Best scenario, they could wait. Worst... Well taxis would have to do.

     "Well, she's welcome to stay the night. I mean, we are all adults and I trust you to be responsible, if," Taiyang started off in his usual cheer before getting higher pitched with every step towards the low brow point he was scratching at. "You get it, you're mature," he settled on, making Ruby wonder how he survived her sexually hyperactive sister.

     "Best not to think about it, sir," Penny cut in jokingly, though Ruby didn't know if the advice was for herself as well. This couldn't have been easy to do, no matter the necessity. Ruby couldn't help but think of how much the Yorkshire girl probably wished she could have been the one to pull Ruby out of hell.

     Ruby wondered if Penny realized, in her own way, she had.

     "Agreed," Taiyang nodded, turning the corner into the foyer, stopping dead when the front door opened from the other side. Yang walked in, with yesterday's clothes and today's troubles.

     With her traditional confidence, Weiss Schnee transcended through the boundary into the Long family home. She wasn't all smiles like last time, nothing cunning in her expression, only an austere sobriety, like she was off to fight another war, prepared and aware for what that meant. She crossed her arms around her chest, as if the thick, petite false fur lined coat failed to keep her warm. "Mr. Long, Penny, Nora," she was the first to speak, either too brave or too afraid for an awkward silence, "And Ruby." Weiss' blue irises saw right through everyone else in the room toward the true object to her gaze, the only person in front of her was Ruby, and though she didn't move towards her, those eyes did all the chasing.

     "Good to see you're all ling up to see me, but I'm gonna go do some workouts. Call me if you need me, Ruby." Yang made the snappiest departure, sensing the mood right off the bat. Nora and Penny shared glances, feeling the awkward air, leaving just Taiyang ignorant.

     "Oh, Weiss! Good to see you again. I'm just dropping off the rest of the crew, will you be over for dinner tonight?" The last of Yang could be seen, shaking her head at her father, the most aloof of all guardians.

     "I think that'll depend on Ruby," Weiss admitted, draining Taiyang's smile. "I'm a sudden guest. That's all," she added, hoping to pop his smile back on. He bought it enough to nod and head out the door. Nora skipped on after him, leaving only Penny behind.

     "Good luck, friend," Penny whispered to Ruby, squeezing her shoulder before continuing out the door, pausing only briefly as she passed Weiss. "Don't fuck up mate." With that final warning, she was off, leaving a disgruntled Weiss and nervous Ruby behind her. It was just them in the room now, something that a week ago would have been pretty much the gold standard for awesome. Now, now it was oddly nerve wracking. Was she mad? Didn't she have the right to be? Were they together still? Was Ruby even ready to forgive her yet? Was there something to forgive? All these questions were sure as heck easier without a beautiful girl with ice eyes staring at her, wanting to know _now_.

     "Hi," Ruby started, figuring it was better than nothing. Had to be better than sitting there gawking like an idiot. Well, that pretty much was what she did in the first place to get Weiss, so… Ruby agreed she had not the semblance of a clue what was anything approaching the right conclusion.

     "Hello," Weiss mumbled back, the roughness of her expression snapped for a second, momentary weakness let loose with a bit lip and a swallow, "I can leave if you want? Penny messaged me saying that I should come. I've been trying to give you space." Weiss hid her mouth with a hand, afraid to give more away, but it revealed the bandages along her knuckles.

     "It's okay, I appreciate that." Ruby decided she didn't give a damn about personal space when Weiss had any part of herself wrapped in gauze. She closed the space between them, snatching the thin left hand up, Weiss reacting only with a slight jump. "What happened to you?" Ruby traced the knuckles without adding a newton of force, exploring the bumps of fabric that intertwined with her slim, musical fingers, dainty things, rough and calloused at the tips. Important hands.

     "There was an insignificant incident. Glass shards got in my hand, but it's nothing major. I just want to keep it bandaged so it doesn't scar up. Hands are important in presenting yourself." That wasn't wrong. Weiss' hands told of how hard a worker she was, the preciseness of those callouses, how carefully she moved those digits, each a metric marking how relentless she was.

     "Did someone hurt you?!" Ruby feared for a second it was William, but Mr. Schnee honestly didn't seem that bad. Winter maybe, but Weiss shook her head no, no reason for her to lie, not if she had any sense.

     "I did it to myself. I got upset, broke my monitor, which made me more… irritated, so some other things were ruined. Everything is fine, replacements are on their way. I don't even believe it'll leave a mark." Ruby didn't care about the marks, she cared about Weiss hurting herself. Guilt immediately struck the younger girl. Maybe if she had just texted her, or called her, or stayed. Weiss must have noticed the change as she put her healthy hand on top of Ruby's searching ones, blocking her view and forcing their eyes to meet. "It's not your fault, I was acting like a child. Throwing a tantrum is my decision. I'm a grown woman, so stop thinking like that. You're not my mother, at least I would certainly hope not."

     Ruby chuckled despite herself, letting go and taking a step back. Funny how quick a snicker stole away a lot of hurt from people and returned them to who they once were. An old comfortability snuck in. "I'm sorry I ditched that night, and I haven't said anything, or done anything, it's just..." Ruby cupped her face, trying to explain the incomprehensibility of everything, "I'm really glad you came." That made sense to her though.

     "You don't need to be, I'm very sorry," Weiss leaned onto her leg, eyes searching the room for an answer, some way to put it right. "I know the way I put it wasn't as elegant as it could have been. Ruby, I just saw someone... I saw something that made me happy being threatened and I couldn't, really I can't, comprehend what you were feeling. My mother and I aren't even close. I don't know what the right decision is." Weiss wasn't accustomed to apologies, especially when those apologies required admitting she couldn't _anything_. She strained on them, barely muttered them, and could not do so looking at Ruby. Their meaning was not lost at all.

     "I don't understand what I'm doing, like ever. Weiss, I'm losing my mind and every time I think I'm about to figure stuff out everything I thought I understood gets flipped up ontop of me, and when it's my mom... I don't know how to fight that." Ruby let out her word vomit, stopping every second to focus it down to something tenable. Something to direct her. Instead, it was like peeling away at cabbage; it just lead to more cabbage.

     "I don't understand either," Weiss lowered her head, eyes staring at the floor, finding her own limits down there, Ruby realized, "Maybe you should date someone who does, someone who understands your feelings better. I don't know if I can." Weiss' eyes twinkled in low light, her breath evaporated as she spoke, as she for the first time in her life gave in. Accepted defeat, found a mountain she couldn't climb by herself and walked downhill. Greek heroes of myth follow the same pattern, achieving greatness and using their amazing feats to try to change the world. They always fail. They are at their most tragic point when they discover they will never be gods.

     "No," but in that moment, they are the most human, "I don't want that. I want you. I don't know how to be me without you! Even if you can't figure it out, it's not like I can either. I don't want you to give up on me. Please, Weiss, I'll try to be the best partner you'll ever have, just don't give up on me." Ruby found herself crying, sobbing. Yet she was without shame, resolute in her break down. Resolute that she wasn't going to give up, that even if they weren't gods, that it was no excuse to give up.

     "You think I want to give up?" Weiss yelped, half angry, half ready to wail. Her hands were balled into fists, ready to fight, but instead, she dove, pulling Ruby into a hug so tight and warm there was no way Weiss could have ever been a snow angel. "I hate giving up, I hate losing so much. I just don't want to be why you're hurting! I don't know why I'm so mean, so selfish, I say so many awful things. I hate it so much and now, on top of all that, as if I wasn't enough of a monster, our family got your mother killed. You'll look at me like a murderer! I hate this so much! Why can't I be good enough when I'm trying so hard!?" Weiss' shouts were loud enough and Yang and Envida could likely hear them, but neither stirred. Ruby couldn't care less. She hugged Weiss and let her scream as her English rant turned German and incomprehensible. Ruby knew these were whispers of secret pain, a break in her that was deep and hidden likely to even Weiss. Everyone had pain, all of it relative. Mom told her that once.

     "You're not awful, you're not mean. You're sweet, strong, you do so much. Weiss, you always show up right when I need a hero, give me exactly what I need, and kick my butt to be better. Weiss, you're amazing." Ruby let herself whisper that again and again, knowing her partner, partners still for sure, needed to hear it. "You're so cool, I don't even understand it, how you like me. I'm selfish, I need you around me." _Not your money, not what you can do. I just need you._

     "You do?" Weiss mumbled into Ruby's shoulder. There was a childlike quality to it, one she didn't expect to hear for a very long time.

     "Yeah, I'm still scared. I still don't know what to do," they both needed this, connected maybe, like two paper boats floating down a stream, tied together, "My dad gave me a video today, from my mom. I'm too scared to watch it by myself."

     "You don't need to be scared."

     "I am," Ruby admitted, "But I'm less scared with you, so please?"

* * *

     "Ready?" Weiss asked, holding the phone for Ruby. They had descended into the basement room together, closed the door behind them, and prepared to meet fate. Took some time, more talking it out, or trying to. They never found the words, but wasn't that always true? Wasn't words how they communicated their individual truths.

     "Yes," Ruby whispered, clutching Weiss tight, afraid of what was on the other side. A message from the dead. Weiss wrapped them both in her surprisingly wide furry coat, warmth stretched over their combined shoulders. "Do it." Together, they hit play. The screen flashed black, turning white, and sound began to play.

     " _Hey Rubbles."_ The scary thing Ruby was hiding from, she lay in a bed, skinnier than she remembered, most of her hair still in, if notably thinner in patches, and dying. By the time chemo started all it did was extend a month or two to three. Not even enough time to lose all those red locks. She was smiling so bright, eyes a gleaming silver like Ruby could only hope to have. For a dying woman she was absolutely filled with life. " _I've asked Reese to record this for me and give it to your dad. Say hi!"_

     " _Yo buddy!"_ Reese of course, her old best friend a distant memory, her voice tasted of better days.

     " _I wanted to record this, incase things get rough. Dad's suppose to hand it over if you have some trouble handling,"_ Summer's smile never stuttered for a moment, even if the camera girl's hands did, even if, near a year later, it made Ruby shiver, " _Well, me not being here anymore. Really, I think it's stupid of me to hope you sort of get over it quick, but you see Ruby, I never want to be something you get hung up on. 'Cause I'm okay._

     " _My life Ruby, god how did anyone live like me? I'm barely forty-two and I've lived so many lives. I've seen some incredible places. I could tell you about secret little plazas filled with letter art in Baghdad. How the Amazon looks so alive from above, like one big green beast. There is this one waterfall in Jamaica I really hope your dad takes you to. Its water is so crystal clear as well as the pools on the way down. It's amazing, and Nigeria? That country is just beautiful in a way I can't even explain. Spain, too. You'll love it there, if you choose to go, dad's looking forward to seeing you so much._

     " _Most people will never leave their birthplace, and I got to see so much, have so many adventures. They were all such a blast. I've been so blessed. Then I got to meet you,"_ Summer's eyes never lost their glisten, never lost their life in such a dark place, while machines held her down, while she cried, Summer smiled and was absolutely beautiful, " _I've never been one for relationships or sex or whatever. I never thought I was going to have you and my god, I lived a hundred lives and got blessed enough to watch you grow up into the most amazing woman I've ever met. You are going to have so many adventures, Ruby, meet so many people, find girls who will rip out and rebuild your heart, see places and things most will only ever read about. You're going to experience a whole world of wonders, and I am so excited for you to take every step along the way._

_"Which is why you can't let me clip your wings. You're ready to leave the nest. You might not know it, but you're already flying and I got to watch you go. I'm done, I'm ready to turn it over to you. Let you have a thousand times over. It's your turn to make this life a wonderful adventure, make this life free and beautiful. Your mother loves you so, so, very much, so fly baby girl. Get out there, have fun, and never look back for me. It's your turn. I love you,"_ there was a pause, Reese could be heard crying in the background, " _You can turn it off now Reese, thank you sweetheart."_

     The video ended, camera coming to a shaky close on a tearing up Reese and a bawling, but even more so laughing, Summer. Going back to black and putting the room into a deep slumbering silence, only sound were the sniffles of Ruby and Weiss, both letting themselves cry unabashedly throughout. Weiss didn't say anything, didn't really need to, she pulled Ruby onto her lap, holding her so tight like she could break. Maybe because she already was.

     Ruby mumbled something, burying her head into Weiss' collar. What she tried to mutter was a broken, _I love you too, mom_ , but it was closer to a dying animal. Yet, despite the waterworks, maybe in part because of them, Ruby felt the tightness ease, not completely, maybe never completely, but it was there. Mom's gentle point was not lost in mourning. _Even when dead, you're saving me._

     "So, how was the party?" Weiss asked, rocking her girlfriend in her lap. Her voice was hoarse from her own emotional high, but they needed something. Each craved a little of the others voice.

     "Not a real party till you got here," Ruby joked, pulling away just enough to face her partner. She didn't intend to leave her lap though for quite a long while thought, "We decided to do something for me finally picking a program."

     "I am the walking embodiment of a party," she laughed, knowing its preposterousness.  
"You picked a program? I didn't know that?" Weiss asked, a little irritated, but a lot proud.

     "I wanted to wait to tell you till it's final. I haven't done it yet. Paperwork's in Spanish. I can't even pick my writing program right." Ruby laughed like herself again. No ghost haunting her right now.

     "You know," Weiss whispered, "I can read Spanish, if you're sure you can pick."

     "I'm not sure of anything," Ruby admitted, life just as scary as when she lived it. "But yeah, let's do it." She spoke with Summer's voice, her own self assured innocent voice, Weiss' voice as well. Most importantly her own. Terrified, but ready to brave the dark, ready if she had Weiss.

     "Alright then, I believe we have some work to do!" The two, hysterical from the heavy emotions of a long day, giggled as they chased each other over to Ruby's bag. Giddy, they pulled out the forms, and with a sense of adventure Ruby forgot she was born with, they went to work. Each box they filled hand in hand, Weiss guiding her and Ruby going into it.

     Always together, they chose to face fate, a final choice so inevitable looking back now, yet impossibly distant from the start, stepping off the train platform. Somehow every one of these decisions, every winding road, it all felt like a linear arrow pointing them here. And after all, signing away on this wasn't the last decision to make. Life's forest was still dark and labyrinthine, ready to be explored by their inner huntresses. This was not the end of choice, this is the beginning.

 

* * *

 

 

     "Really, Ruby?"

     "I said it's photo time and it's photo time!"

     "Fine, don't be such a baby. Now sit on my lap so Ren and Nora can fit in."

     "Is this a group photo, friend?"

     "Yep everyone! That means you too Velvet and Coco, move your booties!"

     "Aye, I will if you shush. Come on babe, the simple folk are calling for us."

     "You are positively ridiculous."

     "Excuse me, I'm not butting in am I?"

     "Nah Pyrrha. Blake, where's Yang?"

     "She's somewhere. We can take another when she stops hiding. Un momento Fox, if you don't mind please take the picture already. It's packed in here."

     "Fine ,fine. Uno, dos—"

     "Ruby, just so you are aware, I think I'm in love with you."

     "What?!"

     "Hey! Photobomb!"

     "Tres!"

     The camera flash went off, capturing a rare moment of manufactured spontaneity and planned impromptu. Yang's bombastic attitude taken down on film as she tackled Blake in the background. Nora and Ren mismatched, yet so comfortably wedged in the corner, arm over arm Nora flipped the camera off while Ren just waved. Pyrrha as always looked a goddess among lesser creatures in the pub corner, flirting with silly mortals it seemed with how her and Jaune stood hand in hand. Penny was single, but surrounded by people her loved her, Ruby wanted no one else to sit smashed between her and Velvet. The Australian looked like a bunny frightened by the flash, well that's what Ruby thought until she noticed Coco's laughing smirk. That girl picked the perfect time to slap her girlfriend's butt. Even Taiyang and Raven had been snuck into the photo, the tops of their heads at another table. Raven had kept her hair dyed. Fox was stuck holding the camera, but Yatsuhashi's big old chest made it in, head cropped by the shot as he passed behind them. Ruby, she was in the center, sitting below the black and yellow misfits, her cheeks blushing wildly, which combined with her stupid happy face ruined and made the picture all at once. Weiss sat on her lap, turning just in time for the shot, wildfire brushing off where her finger tips snagged Ruby's chin and her lips pecked at the girl's cheek.

**Ruby loved her too.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I don't know if it was because I was listening to Dongo dongo while writing it, but I cried my eyes out writing the Summer video scene. Holy hell. Well this is the official end of the core Choice narrative. I'll be working on 3-4 choice extras after this that will take place into the future, but really the narrative arch here is over. You can expect those in December, as I will be taking November off to work on my own original novel A Walk North, after though, I got plans for two new fics! Summer's Vale as promised (to my readers) and a new sci-fi fic I've yet not named if that sounds cool to you all! Let me know if you think I should post choice extra as its own fic or add it to the back end of this.
> 
> I really can not hammer in the importance of LazyKatze to this series. She has been the biggest help. I love her to death she is my best friend, my like partner in crime and just all around bad ass. I also want to thank all you the reviews on and commenters on AO3. You guys were the people who shaped this little novel of mine and really thank you.
> 
> For the final choice fact. This ending is actually the combination of 3 different endings all together. The video idea was the last ending to be made, before hand it was just the talk together, but that felt too unimpactful, and the one after that, the choosing the program one, felt like it never really touch on the complete problems, and the feelings I wanted to get out of choice. SO I stitched them together, and I think it actually came out nice.
> 
> Thank you everyone, thank you for reading and let me know your final thoughts for the core story! Love to see you around soon again!


	22. Choice Extra: Thanksgiving

**Ruby Rose**

     It's a rare pleasure as a grad student to wake up without the putrid sound of an alarm blaring. Even on weekends the schedule demanded Ruby start at dawn to work, either on school or her meager project. This morning was a special affair as it was the fateful autumn Wednesday, the primer for Thanksgiving, a five day break, one of the few her new school, Portland State, recognized. No professors damned her to master's work over the break, maybe due to begging, maybe due to not wanting to deal with puppy dog tears. Either way, five days were cleared. Her prayers were answered. After all, Ruby needed this time. Weiss was coming.

     Portland in fall was a crisp cool, not the type to ice up the bones. Honestly, Ruby's German girlfriend would have laughed at how the open window sent a quake down the redhead's spine. This was not the temperate Spanish weather she had grown accustomed to over the last four years. Still, it was a beautiful time, all the colors of spring, the same cool days, it was a similar kind of gorgeous out. Well, except everything was dying and plant pollen didn't coat literally anything that didn't move in unmentionable sticky goo. These were, despite the cold, Ruby's favorite mornings. She woke up alert, face full of sun, energetic enough to kick off the sheets and toss away pillows in favor of a beeline to the kitchen and a bowl of peanut butter crunch, one of the many luxuries she had forgotten overseas.

     "Morning, Rubes!" Reese's vigorous voice vented what was left of the sleepy mist in Ruby's mind. This little skater punk, neon cyan hair that matched her eyes, former best friend and current roommate, was Reese gosh darn Chloris. She lay languid on the living room couch, dressed in her usual purple and torn up jeans, knee pads on, either about to go skating or back from it.

     "Hi Reese, want some of the captain's finest crunch?" Ruby replied, dancing her way towards the cupboards. She popped out two bowls without waiting for a response, dumping cereal into one, quickly followed by a helping of milk.

     "Nah, I just ate with Bolin, mcmuffins for days. He says hi, by the way." Ruby didn't bother putting the extra bowl away, she would be back. They always came back for the captain. "So real deal, when's your pillow princess coming? Please tell me soon! I want to meet the girl that replaced us all in your heart!" Reese hopped up onto her knees, hanging her head over the couch edge with a giddy grin. This was dangerous.

     "I have no idea, Weiss emailed me she was flying in today, but wouldn't say when. Could be any moment! I'll probably have to pick her up from the airport, or the Red Line. So short with me all week," Ruby lemented, shoveling her cereal into her mouth. Trip preparation had been Weiss telling her she was coming for Thanksgiving and dead silence. "And I promise, she is not a pillow princess."

     "Still pissed you didn't go to the weird burn shit festival this year?" Ruby nodded back, yes. Vytal festival had grown into a tradition, one unmissed for five years till last. The bills had come in heavy, her short stories weren't being accepted by any anthology, and Ruby had to fix Summer's truck. It wasn't doable, not without taking extra cash from the Schnee family. Ruby Rose was not Emerald, and as the five year anniversary was passing of their relationship, she was still bound on proving it.

     "So I'm just going to live my life, go shopping for tomorrow, pay my bills, and wait for my girlfriend to come to me. It'll be like a early Christmas surprise!" Ruby tossed her bowl away, sink empty from the nervous cleaning she had performed all last night. It had to be perfect for Weiss, then Ruby remembered, it was Weiss. She could smell that kind of deception. The bowl would remain, a single dish to give the apartment a lived in feel. Yes, the perfect plan.

     "But what about me? My needs? Bolin wants us to leave before nightfall! How will I live with myself without seeing the true blooded queen of Germany!? Her majesty in the flesh!" Reese whined. Ruby had learned the day off their reunion the punk was just as much a baby as she had left her.

     "Please no worshipping my girlfriend. How am I going to force her to hang out with me if you give her options?" Ruby joked, ruffling her friend's neon hair as she passed it. Time was of the essence, royalty was coming after all. A full kitchen was required.

     "Share?"

     "Stick to your boys."

* * *

     Running through the checklist of chores, Ruby counted her lost funds. First off was the power bill, turning that in dropped her a hundred flat. On the way back, crossing the highway bridge over to Safeway, she'd ran into a homeless old man she often saw nabbing food, this time prepared with one of her old blankets and a gift card to Subway in hand. A solid twenty down, but totally worth it seeing him light up like that. With water and the cable internet bundle not due until the end of the month, she had three hundred free, plenty for food and gas tomorrow. This sort of weekly money math had become a staple of Ruby's life as a master's student. She still got checks in from her dad to help out, some from Mr. Schnee, but that just went straight to old medical debts. Everything else was wired right back... usually. Ruby tried to get by without being a bother, kept afloat by a mixture of a small stipend most master's students get teaching entry level comp and, with much more pride, the small fund of published works.

     RWBY never got an out. Shopping it around, the book remained in a constant state of 'maybe in a few years with a couple of touch ups', but it wasn't the end of the world. A small volume of poetry and short stories made it out the door early this Spring, which helped Ruby become a regular in a few short story anthologies. There was one sci-fi novel entitled Worlds of Remnant that, while it didn't do fantastically, managed to do well enough with both the small publisher and the stores willing to carry it locally. Really, it seemed like her half-hearted sales came from half-hearted publishers who didn't believe in her. Yet still, she made due by working on a new LGBT steampunk book called A Walk North, and still touching up on the RWBY project; Ruby was completely unable to give up on something that contained so much of her and Weiss' soul. In the meantime, short story sales and generous aid from both her father and Mr. Schnee meant the girl was not starving.

     Knowing that fact, she could breath, enjoy the cool air and autumn trees that spread out across PSU's park blocks. Through the busy campus, layered in leaves red, yellow, green, and all shades between, Ruby looped around to Safeway, the leading grocery store for the Pacific Northwest, and the only place not left desolate by the Thanksgiving food rush. The chill was not so bad, Ruby comfortable in her black jacket and red tank, a classy pair of black jeans to match protected her legs and looked great with her studded belt. Still, the temperature controlled air that rushed past her as she entered this kingdom of food was a welcome 75 even as the patrons were running wild through this humble establishment.

     Ruby wasn't worried about losing the finer picks of the groceries litter. These panicking Portlandians were all searching for stuffing, not crackers, turkeys not unsophisticated white bread mayo smeared picnic sandwiches. No one had in mind the kind of Thanksgiving the redhead was planning. Who would in rainy and near frosty Oregon? Despite the perpetual tempest, Ruby had a recent ritual to fulfill, her family Thanksgiving by necessity an outdoors affair. Completing her purchase with just an extra plating of strawberries and Safeway brand sushi that could be passed as home made for Weiss' dinner, Safeway was conquered.

     The wind curved all along Ruby's body as she stepped out into the Portland streets. The rain came in, light as a feather, all these things began to stir something, awaken it. Her footsteps were quick, but not afraid of droplets. She skipped past the overpass, turned into a run as she reached the imperial arms building. It wasn't the cold, it wasn't the sudden Portland rain, none of these things forced a sprint past the garage building, made the child in her laugh excitedly, uncontrolled despite the dark sky. Weiss god damn Schnee was coming. How had that managed to be sort of lost on her. in this morning daze? Sky could be as dark as it wanted, the light of Ruby's life was coming down the Red Line any minute.

     Or now.

     The elevator ride was the only thing that gave Ruby even the slightest pause, her run turned to a bouncing stand. She was stupid happy, a giddy oscillating energy flowing through her, barely contained in this metal faraday cage, bursting open as soon as the doors allowed. Ruby, bags in hand, lept through the frankly pot heavy smoke of her neighbors, passed the couch left to the apartment gods by a couple who had moved out just a day before. Nothing threatened to slow her down today. Aside from an open door and familiar shouting.

     "Who the hell am I? Excuse you, who are you suppose to be, besides a neon light trap?!" That voice, despite the ugly words, translated to a tasteful music, lifted Ruby's heart, and made her want to cry and scream. Her Weiss was back.

     "Weiss!" Ruby tossed their collective dinners to the side, completely ambivalent to the drama of the moment. Weiss didn't even have time to prepare, poor girl barely turned her head before her girlfriend jumped as though she was prey attempting to escape. There was no exit. The force of their bodies slamming into each other nearly toppled the girl, but the way Ruby's arms locked around Weiss' body tighter than a cast stabilized them. This one was not getting away.

     "Ruby?" Weiss muttering, trying half as hard as she could to escape.

     "Why didn't you tell me when you were landing? I could have picked you up!" Ruby let up just a bit for comfort, still coiled around her lover. She was warm, a sleeveless winter vest and long sleeved Christmas themed sweater suggested Germany's winter had already begun to hit them. The signature silver ponytail remained, but slightly shorter than Ruby remembered from last year's Vytal festival. Weiss' face was as always sculpted from determination and absolutism, showing only the mildest hint of duality, right now caught between relief and annoyance. "I missed you so much!"

     "I missed you too, liebling," Weiss replied matter-of-factly, though the use of liebling, or favorite in German, gave away her real feelings, "I felt with you being so _busy_ lately, I decided to just manage it myself. Portland has taxis, same as any city in Europe." Oh yeah, she was still pissed about Ruby missing the last Vytal festival. Screw that, Ruby's sunny disposition was having none of her moodiness.

     "Please, that's dumb," Ruby laughed, openly mocking the suggestion. A laugh beats a whine someone somewhere probably said. "I may not always have the money, but I swear I have the time for you. Just came back from getting you dinner for tonight! I know you love sushi!" Ruby finally let the hug go, sliding her hands down her partner's arms, finding a comfortable place in her hands. Weiss looked ready to strangle her, but broke a smile. The charm worked. God, she was so stupidly perfect.

     "Gay~!" Reese both shouted and sang herself into existence. Ruby giggled, but Weiss, she was clearly in mourning for the moment, blue eyes firing artillery shells at the thrilled roommate. She was getting exactly the show she wanted.

     "Excuse you?" Weiss snapped back, pulling her hands free, quick to get into her defensive power stance, cross armed and chest out. "I'm guessing you're Reese, Ruby's roommate?" No one had ever said roommate so hatefully before in Ruby's life, this was impressive.

     "No, I'm Reese, Ruby's side hoe." Reese managed the lie so straight faced, Ruby's initial reaction to smack her was superseded by a shocked cough. Weiss damn well nearly popped a vein.

     "You think that's funny?" Weiss muttered, shocked beyond belief at this stranger's audacity.

     "No, absolutely not, does this look like the face of a joker to you?" Reese did an excellent expression of sincerity, but absolutely yes. Whether it was the green hair, the punk look, or, you know, the completely preposterous claim, she sure seemed like it.

     "She's messing with you, Weiss. It's just what Reese does. I can promise you I've certainly never had sex with Reese." Ruby patted her partner's back, letting out an exasperated sigh, shooting Reese a "please shut up" look. That was a mistake, like shaking bait in front of a shark.

     "No, never! Well depends," Ruby's head felt Weiss' sharp intake. This was it, this was going to turn into the thunderdome. "In lesbian sex, when is sex like _officially_ sex, like is it second or third base, because like, fourth base would require some bank breaking I am just not in the position to do."

     "Reese likes penises, Weiss!" Ruby shouted, too damn loud. Neighbors throughout the building would know of the girl's phallic predilection, none would be safe. Like a siren, a last alarm before the murder begins. Weiss clenched up fierce, ready to pop. Ruby had never seen her so jealous. The distance, maybe?

     "Yeah, I know. She's trying to piss me off and it's working!" Weiss let out, defiant. Least it made Ruby happy to know she totally believed in her. They were a team, together they could kill this traitorous roommate, sinful thing cackling, getting exactly the reaction she dreamed of, handed to her on a platter.

     "Damn Ruby, I would have convinced her if it wasn't for you revealing my deep hetero secret!" Reese tossed herself over the end of the couch, too light to disturb the furniture. Ruby kept her eyes comically sharp on her best friend, visually screaming, _get your butt out of my apartment for, like, ever_ , as hard as she could. "She is cute though, both of you are. Oh, fair princess of a faraway land, please treat my old friend generously. She's been practically melting waiting for you to come. She's head over heels, so be good to the little sap." Reese extended her hand in peace, but Weiss wasn't taking it.

     "You're a friend of Ruby's, so I won't kick you. That is all." Weiss kept it extreme. Nothing had changed since Beacon.

     "Damn, that's brutal. I can appreciate that." Reese put her hands down, understanding she probably pushed this stranger too far. She was a good kid inside, after all. "I will now leave you two star crossed lovers to your gay shit while I go see Bolin, you know, my whole penis addiction Ruby so rudely revealed to you. I can only fight its clutches for so long." She laughed at her own joke, while Ruby barely held one in herself. "See you when you get back from the coast Little Red, and have fun dude."

     "You too, you neon Dork." Reese left the stage, bag strung over her back, her own life and Thanksgiving festivities to go to. Good news, Ruby needed the house to herself. Over a year since they last got some time together, Ruby needed the whole damn place before she did something stupid.

     "I hate your roommate," Weiss announced, shocking no one.

     "She grows on you," Ruby weakly defended, turning equally weak as her attention diverted to her girlfriend. One year, this was an unfair hell. Continental divides sucked.

     "Like a deadly fungus." That was an extremely weird line to start making out on.

* * *

     A sharp inhale matched the motion of Weiss' hips. Strong, deep, full. Words converted to pleasure as Ruby's partner, naked aside from the necessary straps, pushed her and her silicone addition into her partner, a happy mess reaching up and pulling them together. Ruby kept her eyes open despite reaching climax, looking lovingly at her girlfriend. Weiss was covered in sweat, glistening lines that traced the now familiar chest tattoo, after all when has the giver not been an exhausting position to have, but Weiss, as always, performed it beautifully.

     "I'm," Ruby took a breath, trying to say what Weiss clearly knew, her rocking movements slowed gently to a still, "done. Your turn." Honestly, the redhead felt more like a nap than ripping out a new condom and taking up the harness, but selfish was not the way when the best thing that ever happened to her came by once a year.

     "No," Weiss argued, reading Ruby's mind as she was one to do, "I could use a momentary respite, just like this." The silicone add-on slid out easily, allowing Weiss to collapse, and mold into her partner. Worn down from a two hour session of making out, foreplay, and this cherry on top, nothing sexual stirred from having Weiss' nude body draped over her. Exhaustion cleared the mist, and gave them some more innocence. Ruby even chuckled, realizing how she appreciated being able to see Weiss' beauty and not just boobs at a time like this.

     "What are you laughing at? I was amazing," Weiss whispered into Ruby's collar, quick to find a home wedged between her neck and shoulder. They laughed together, lightly, a shared vibration.

     "Just thinking you're perfect," Ruby only half joked. One of Weiss' thin little hands reached up and _tried_ to slap her. Uncomfortably squished her face was really more accurate.

     "You're dumb," the sleepy princess muttered.

     "You're beautiful."

     "Shut up," Ruby hoped her giggling didn't shake up her irritable partner too much. Weiss loved being put on a pedestal, so long as it was at least semi accurate. Perfect failed the second test, irritating the tiny beauty. For totally unrelated related reasons, it was also Ruby's favorite compliment.

     "Never!" Taking advantage of her partner's exhaustion, the redhead rolled Weiss over, quick to get on top. The sudden urge to lay a thousand short pecks on her cheek and neck was just too damning, too cute. "I got you right where I want you."

     "Ruby, I want a break," Weiss groaned, turning away from the kisses, so stubborn, teasing.

     "And you got one. I'm just an excited cuddler." Ruby ran her finger across a side, from the shoulder down to the velcro strap around her waist, checking to make sure the dream was real. The other hand was languid somewhere useless on the bed, Ruby cuddling into Weiss' neck, nuzzling cheek against jaw line. "What can I say? I missed you so much. You don't know how maddening it is to write without you messing around on the guitar to keep me going."

     "Then come back," Weiss grumbled, finally turning her face back towards Ruby. The two of them probably looked so dumb, rubbing their heads together like they thought the friction could start a fire.

     "I am not taking your father—"

     "No, not a visit. I mean back to Europe, permanently." Weiss' voice drove a mental spike into the back of her brain. Even if she didn't shout it, a dozen other fights sharpened the point, a issue that never really resolved itself.

     "Beacon doesn't have a creative writing masters, and certainly not one in English," Ruby replied, knowing she was side stepping the point. This was a necessary step on this sore emotional road.

     "But London would, only a few hours from me. I could come for the long weekends." A point Weiss brought up often, and Ruby agonized over her entire senior year. She had sent letters to, even was admitted into some lower level graduate programs in England, but the math never worked out, even if she roomed with Penny. After all, she was finishing her studies in the Imperial College of London, the foreign tuition was insane. In Oregon, she had mom's old car, in state tuition, more than one friend, and some connections.

     "Weiss, it's too much, my family can't afford it—"

     "I'm part of the wealthiest family—"

     "I'm not," Ruby's remark shot Weiss' eyes open wide, those solid blues not giving up her emotional torrent, something that only through experience the redhead was gifted knowledge of. "Not yet, and you have no idea how much I miss you and wished I was weak enough to take the easy way, but I can't. I only have another year till my MA is done. I know that's not fair, but I promise after, if you don't give up, I'll come back. If I can finish my doctorate I will there, or I can teach English, or write. Something, but I promise. Just don't give up on me, and maybe we can move in together, if you're ready?"

     "You're an imbecile," Weiss remarked, biting her bottom lip in the pause after, drifting silver hairs sliding over her face, highlighting that beauty, "After this master's nonsense is over, you should count your blessings if I don't leave you chained to my wall. I'm not so weak as to give up now, after what five years together? I'm trying to talk sense into you, not threaten a break up." Weiss shoved her partner off with a mocking smile, encouraging Ruby to throw her entire self back, wrapping her clutches around the silver girl before she could even think of retaliating.

     "I love you so much even if you are an ornery goof." Insults always made Weiss try and resist, but alas, nothing escaped a Ruby hug, not for Weiss.

     "Don't you dare call me ornery, I'll fucking show you ornery."

     "Nope!"

     "You'll regret it," Weiss' mumbled, going loose in her lover's vice grip, something evil stirring, "I'll agree to your terms, waiting for you if you agree to mine. You will come to Germany for Christmas. You've never been, the Schnee family always hosts a gala there. You will come, understand?"

     "What happened to not, you know, threatening the relationship?" Ruby joked nervously, aware of her own downfall.

     "Well liebling, that peace ended about when you insulted my character."

     "I insulted your temper."

     "You really want to play chicken with me?" Ruby sighed, ready to go into her usual speech, about how she couldn't afford it, about her work load, about a thousand other excuses that all boiled down to some deep feelings of financial inadequacy. Weiss practically read the words she would have said on their ride to the throat, quick to put a finger to Ruby's lips. "No, this isn't about my dad's money. This is my money, I earned it. Shocking, I actually haven't been fumbling around for a year and a half waiting for you to come back. What I want is my girlfriend for Christmas. This isn't about you, it's about my interest, so you can say yes and shut your mouth."

_Well damn._ "If I say yes, will you stop being scary and go back to cuddling?" Ruby wasn't good at precise rules.

     "Say you will, or I'll rip the blanket off your naked butt and watch you fucking freeze." Ruby just cracked and rolled on her back, body bouncing with laughter. This was the girl for her.

     "Yes ma'am," Ruby answered simply, soon as her giggles found their natural end, "Now cuddles?" Weiss rolled her eyes, but that smile, how smiles betrayed her time and time again.

     "Good girl," Weiss complimented, sliding her body back onto Ruby, right where they started, arms intertwined, a head of silver hair pushing into her neck and sweet kisses, "Love you too, so long as you behave."

* * *

**Weiss Schnee**

     Thanksgiving was not a holiday that factored into the fabric of Weiss' reality until the moment it offered her an apropos excuse to barge into Ruby's daily life. It seemed to be a horrible time for a holiday. Oregon was undeniably alluring, but as her partner had suggested many a time, fall through winter the heavens erupted and the state flooded. This did not seem to drench the redhead's excitement even marginally.

     Still, there was merit to this place, with the leaves all melting into soil, the naturalist look of Portland and the outlying areas. The city was built with the forest in mind, it seemed, nature did not encroach on it, the trees simply were a block in its form. Outside the city, the vast emptiness America was famous for displayed itself in full. The highway connecting Portland to the coast was two lanes, near no traffic, and an unnerving quantity of water. Ruby managed to wade through it so skillfully, her truck had to be kin with boats. Outside of that, there was nothing, nothing but trees, mountains, and more cloudburst.

     Superseding any profit from seeing the wildlife was seeing Ruby. She missed that silly girl, her easy ways, her penchant for unraveling Weiss, an addicting weakness. More than the superficial benefit, she was in her world, not across the sea from home, and the differences illustrated the divide of their upbringing. Weiss' first car, gifted to her the day she turned 17, devoid of debt, was a new BMW. Ruby drove her mother's dissolving, 10 year old, four door ford truck. She grew up in a military family, filled with love. Weiss grew up in a corporate family that routinely failed to express that love. Both single parent homes, but inversed parents. They formed an opposing binary, one impossible to conjoin. Yet here they were, driving together through the sea of trees, eyes forward, but free hands touching, together.

     Then there was Qrow. Weiss couldn't believe that was the old man's name. Ruby's uncle, brother to Envida, though he lacked her...discretion. The greying old man had apparently been Summer's right hand man at STRQ Securities after meeting her in Afghanistan. Weiss wondered if he was as much of a drunk mess then as he was now, in a stupor, the back seat reduced to a drunkard's death bed. Weiss understood immediately why Ruby went to her father, not her uncle, after Summer's death. He kept the company running, or claimed to. He was an unsightly addition to this "Thanksgiving" thing.

     "Hey, Weiss, what's going on? You there?" Ruby called her back to reality, her eyes shifting from the mirror to the road, careful still despite the downpour's sudden suspension.

     "Of course," Weiss lied, doing her best to pretend she had been listening all along.

     "It's important you listen to me. I don't want you getting totally weirded out when we get there." Ruby's intense gray eyes, discs of sterling silver, a mesmerizing pair of precious metals that alway could nab Weiss, gave her a risky direct glance, a show of seriousness. _Damn,_ Weiss noted, she couldn't exactly admit she wasn't paying attention now. She was too deep.

     "I'm not a little girl. I'll hardly be freaked out about this," Weiss could guess at what she was on about, but after working out so many individual steps of grief together, a gravestone was never going to rock her.

     "I know, I just don't want you to like, think I'm completely nuts. I know she's not there, but like, my therapist says it's a really good grief exercise to like, you know, do the talking." Well, this really had been a bad moment to zone out. While both of them had their...moments of doubt, specifically while wandering old castles late at night, neither of them actually believed in ghosts, the lingering dead were a manifestation of irrational fear, and desperate rational grief.

     "If it helped to worship a disturbed voodoo doll of her hair, I would have helped to sew it. You should know by now, I'm here to help," Weiss shot back, somewhat more aggressive than she meant. Ruby understood though, years of translation helped them speak each other's vibrant personal languages.

     "You know you're just sweet." Ruby found the time to quickly face her partner, squeezing her hand, showing a bit of love before going back to work. That moment cemented the changes, the developments over the last half decade they were together. Weiss had changed little, but Ruby, her features were sharper, baby fat melted off the cheeks, hair longer, less wild though still painted their signature colors. She looked wiser, some real future crone wisdom hidden behind those bangs. Ruby Rose was still cute, but grew as a woman to be gorgeous. Was she even aware of her own transformations? Or, more confusing, was this simply an awakening inside Weiss, to see what everyone had previously ignored. "Still, the food's fresh, home made cold cuts and fruits and whatever else Qrow shoved in the cooler before we picked him up. I swear this'll be the best Thanksgiving you've ever had."

     "Ruby, I'm German. This will be the first Thanksgiving I ever have."

     "I know how to pick my battles, don't I?" Ruby smiled, enjoying the supposed brilliance of being an undeniable smart-ass.

     "Such a master strategist. Are you going to gloat about how this is the best vacation to the Oregon coast I've ever had with my SO and their drunken uncle as well?" Weiss countered, though there were few trips in her life she looked forward to more than this, more than Ruby. The redhead had to figure that out on her own though.

     "If the shoe fits! And he's not that bad, he taught me how to shoot after all!" Weiss made sure to give Ruby a glare that threatened her to never tell a lie that heinous ever again. She might have laughed, but it would take. Never again. "Either way, this is my favorite trip to the coast. It's really cool you're doing this with me. Means a ton."

     "Of course, wouldn't want to spend my foreigner's holiday any other way," Weiss decided to reward her sweetness, just a little.

     "Plus we get to go to the beach after," there was a pause, Ruby remembering exactly what season it was, "If, uhh, you know, it's not pouring. We got a hotel on the beach and tomorrow we're taking you shooting."

     "What?!" This was definitely not something she had agreed to. Ruby winced at the shout, a small chuckle failed to pull her out of the firing line.

     "Forgot that was a surprise, ha, but yeah. Uncle Qrow thought it would be fun," that old man would pay, "you've probably never handled a gun before, right? It's pretty fun, my mom used to take me hunting when I was little. It was so cool, except I didn't like the killing animals part so she would set up targets for us." Again, such drastically different environments.

     "Your mother had you handle guns when you were a child? This is the same sweet and loving mother from every other story, and she gave you war weapons?" Weiss came from Germany, a country where the paperwork to attempt to acquire a license for a gun was the envy of mountains and even if approved, the right to ammo was another nightmare entirely. Her father had tried and failed twice to get approved, one of the richest men in the country, and Ruby was out there shooting before she hit puberty.

     "Please, Qrow taught me with a .22 long rifle. Those things can barely kill squirrels. Wasn't like we were using the company guns, those things are cool. Got to visit a STRQ training operation once, we got special permission to practice with those big like M60 kind of guns. I was like 16, got to shoot it like three times, that was freaking crazy! We won't get anything like that. Just bolt-action rifles and revolvers, I have an odd feeling you'll enjoy those. They're classy, like your swords."

     "Don't bring my babies into this!" Weiss had kept up fencing, a finer art, something of a more classical and civilized time. It wasn't a war art, but a dance really, a ballroom shuffle with steel.

     "Just trust me. Not saying you'll love the things, or that you should, just saying you'll have a hell of a time. Pinky swear!" Before Weiss could think of a response, light struck the car, a simmering bounce from the ocean, the sunlight jumping from the sea at a distance, the Pacific welcoming them. Weiss instantly recognized the smell, the taste, salt in the air. They had arrived. "And welcome to Lincoln City."

     It wasn't long from the moment the first ray of light from the gold waters hit them that they arrived at the seaside alter. A single monument on this lonely ground, sitting on the mountains a stone's throw from the village called a city. Apparently it was company land, where STRQ planned to bury employees who passed and lacked funeral previsions themselves. To the company's credit, there was only one grace, marked with a rose emblem and an engraved poem. Lonely place to decay.

     Ruby kept her cheer, pulling what they needed from the truck. Qrow silently made his way to the altar as the others worked, whispering a few words. Weiss could neither understand, nor hear them. For a moment, a strangely humanist moment, the Schnee never intended to repeat, she wondered, _what was his story?_ Following a girl from another country to fight battles for nations not his own? Why did he drink? Ruby woke her Weiss from this daze.

     "Here's a poncho incase it rains again, and I got our food all ready when you are!" By the time Weiss looked back, Qrow was already heading back to the truck, sober she hoped, several hours since he touched the flask.

     "Rubes, I'm heading into town to get our hotel rooms all in order. Start without me." Giving an order, not a suggestion, Qrow jumped in the driver's seat. A concerned Weiss gave Ruby a look, but she flashed a thumbs up, apparently sure he was sobered enough. Perhaps he never let Summer see him the way Weiss did that morning. The functioning alcoholic and war worn were not her specialty.

     "He's not going to like, get in trouble is he?" Weiss clarified.

     "Nah, he's sober." Ruby didn't feel the need to explain, tossing out a blanket to lay on in front of her mother's gravestone. It was a pretty spot. No flowers left to die on the stone marker, instead wildflowers grew where nature tried to reclaim the marker. "Come on!" Ruby patted Weiss' spot on the blanket, demanding her presence. It felt wrong at first, forbidden maybe, but Weiss passed over the divide, stepping toward the fixed family, the dead joining them for lunch.

     "Hi mom," Ruby started as Weiss sat across from her, "I'm back for a bit, wanted to celebrate Thanksgiving together again, made some sandwiches, er, what am I trying to do fooling a ghost. They're store bought." Ruby laughed, shaking her head, only building on the eerie feeling of watching this. Watching someone talk to the dead, trying to transcend time, Weiss discovered felt much more unnerving in person than in concept, "But I brought something way cooler than sandwiches! I want you to meet someone very important to me, my girlfriend Weiss Schnee!" Ruby pointed out her arms to reveal Weiss, this mysterious woman whom was defiling this sacred family shrine.

     "I've told you a bunch about her, but now you can finally meet the one and only! You'll love her mom, she's driven like you, has her own business, is a thousand times older than me emotionally. You'd have loved to meet her so much, you'd have really loved her mom." Ruby tried as much as possible, but she couldn't believe 100% that her mom was here, that anyone was listening. She was speaking to a uninterested void, and it was damning to the soul to watch.

     "Hi," Weiss tried, needing and wanting to help with the exercise. It came out awkward and forced, but Ruby immediately smiled, the attempt meant more than the effectiveness ever could.

     "You don't have to say anything, I know it's silly," Ruby offered the out, a cheap path to comfort. Not the kind of route Weiss cared to walk. They've faced five years of trouble together, this heart break a constant throughout, a slow healing wound. No cowards would fix it, not now, not ever.

     "Don't you interrupt me while I'm talking to my potential future mother in-law. Wait your turn!" Weiss felt great watching Ruby's eyes bulge in shock, a wonderful successful feeling. It cracked the shell, gave Weiss the confidence to say what Ruby could use hearing. "Hello, Miss Rose, I've heard a lot about you and I must say I've enjoyed the benefit of your life's work. Ruby's the best girlfriend I've ever had, and that's an impressive list. No doubt due to your expert tutelage. She's an amazing woman, if a little naïve. I dare say I'm in love with her." Weiss kept eyes locked on the grave, focused on not breaking this string, convening with the dead in any serious fashion required a certain focus, but, every few seconds, the gaze danced between Summer and Ruby, watching for a reaction, a blush pushing her forward, towards something bright.

     "Also, Miss Rose you need not worry, she has, thanks to a lot of work and practice, become a competent kisser." Ruby turned a darker color and Weiss could not hide her smile.

     "Shut up!" Ruby complained, an embarrassed baby about to get more so.

     "She also does something with her tongue that is absolutely divin—"

     "No, you are not going to talk about my sexual prowess to my mother!" Ruby shouted, but in that smile, a mixture of complete shock, embarrassed laughter, something light. She could believe a little, in their family meal, the illusion, that Weiss was spilling the beans to Summer not a rock. Weiss was happy to give her that for just a moment.

     "Oh it is to die for. I have no idea where she learned it, but I am so much happier for—"

     "No!" Weiss felt a shove take her to the floor, Ruby pouncing on her. One hand on either side of Weiss' head, all of her partner pinning her to the blanket. Quite a perilous position.

     "My, Ruby, this is a little forward in front of Summer, but I appreciate the attention," Weiss commented, loving the way Ruby just could not pull herself out of this. Beautiful.

     "You are such a bully. Nevermind my mother liking you, she would knock some sense into me before letting me stay with such a bully!" That wasn't true, Summer wouldn't even have hit Ruby if the child ran up and slapped her. Even Weiss knew that.

     "Well," the older girl replied as shocked as she could fake, "I'll have to change her opinion, because I love you very much, even if you are a twerp." Weiss pushed herself up by the elbows, giving Ruby a well deserved kiss to the lips, earning a childish pout.

     "Can we go back to eating a PG-13 Thanksgiving lunch with the family, please?"

     "I would love to," Weiss noted, looking towards Ruby's face, though dimmed by clouds light still shined bright around her outline, sunlight scattered through red and black streams. A halo befitting an angel, "but you're still on top of me."

****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow sorry for being so late! This Thanksgiving special was meant to come out, you know, just after thanksgiving, but oh well! Honestly it's entirely my fault. Fallout came out and I was so stressed and after winter break I just have done nothing. It's so good. Christmas special is next! Let me know how you like the extras and happy holidays everyone!


	23. Choice Extra: Holiday Special Part 1

**Ruby Rose**

     Writing is an odd industry. The creative process is an emotional one, it lacks machinery and factory automation one can find in any other mass production. Still, there are ways to gin something up from the void, make use of the creative well, even one long too abused. Writing whenever one had a moment is key, channeling even the smallest, minute semblance of inspiration into a several hour session. The milk of imagination is finite, every drop lost is a joke untold, lovers who never met, and another tragedy forgotten.

     Ruby, for once, found the creative juices flowing through her veins without a struggle. Fingers typed giddily, crafting a scene for her snow white princess, the W in RWBY, a horribly wonderful character derived from her own partner, not openly of course and not completely. Still, the thought of her, the adventure of a new country, it all brought out the drive to work on the old project from college, the early days.

     The country of Germany sped past the window of Ruby's sleeper car. A long ride between Berlin and the wealthy, but small town of Weissenburg, apparently different from Weißenburg, a vocal distinction that escaped Ruby. Beyond the glass was mostly snow, trees, small town stops, and more snow. It blanketed the northern side of the nation this winter, a perpetually white Christmas. Annoying for the Germans, inspiring for a foreign girl that lived in what had to be the world's most temperate rainforest.

     Stealing glances, Ruby formed scenes for the future, more winter sets in a series endlessly frozen in autumn months. She was more focused now, less worried, anxious to see Weiss, but steady knowing the moment approached. The cabin door knock solidified this position.

     "Entschuldige die Störung, aber wir erreichen in fünfzehn Minuten deine Haltestelle," a voice called out from behind the plastic entrance, barely the size of a grown adult. Ruby darted for it, sliding through the thin space of the sleeper cart, just barely catching her at the door.

     "Miss!" The attendant was already walking away, stopping at what had to be an unusual greeting for her. Ruby tried gathering what she could of the native language, but at this point, why bother? She managed Spanish, barely. German? That wasn't happening. "Sorry, I don't speak Deutche," knowing the word for German being the width of her knowledge, "What were you trying to tell me? Do you speak English or Español?" The young girl, easily Ruby's age or maybe younger, smiled, brushed her straight blonde hair ,and nodded.

     "Yes, your stop, it is in fifteen minutes. Please be ready to depart." This sort of linguistic luck had to be drying up for her soon, Ruby realized, sighing with a thank you. Her stuff was easy to gather, a backpack and single suitcase, a classic combination.

     The departing deck was nearly empty, Weissenberg only a small stop on the way to the metropolis: Cologne. This left one solitary businessman with her, warmly dressed in a full suit, earning an envious glare from Ruby, who had trapped herself in a lone Christmas sweater and jeans, a "comfortable" outfit for Portland, a grave error in Germany. _Maybe instead of writing on your six hour train ride you should have, I don't know, busted out the snow coat?_! Ruby chastised herself harshly as the train doors opened and a full frontal winter gush bashed against her body. Wasn't as cold as Berlin. Barely.

     Stepping off the platform, it wasn't hard to spot her ride. A black Audi, one she recognized, waited patiently in the station square beside an oversized and over decorated three story Christmas tree. The station itself was barely two rails wide, one heading to Cologne, one heading out. Despite that, it was clearly meant to look complicated. Cafes, all closed, lined up with the plaza, string lights connecting to the tree and flashing in red and green morse code. The whole affair felt two distinct flavors, manufactured and expensive.

     The businessman went his way, quick to walk with a book in his hand along the left sidewalk, likely home for Christmas eve. It was past noon now, the midday train the last till tonight. In the spirit of companionship, Ruby went on her way, a steady step towards the car, expecting any minute the windows to roll down and Weiss Schnee to crawl out, naked besides a snow coat, big enough for two with... _nevermind_.

     The windows did roll down, at least the drivers. "Angel of Small Death", an old Hozier song dated to when Ruby was like twelve played loud enough for the whole community to dance to its dangerous tones. It seemed, both surprisingly and dreadfully inevitable, for the driver to be the only Schnee who disliked her. Silver hair pulled over her right eye like a fang, leaving a single blue gem to stare at Ruby with a, totally not sexy, death glare. Unlike Weiss', she didn't make Ruby go all mushy inside, instead brought on actual fear of, well, death.

     "You couldn't have possibly made it here in _that_." Winter's kind of hello. To say her words matched her name was an insult to the holidays everywhere.

     "Oh yeah, I realized. Can you open the trunk?" Ruby managed despite the competing chorus and her own shivers. Winter said nothing, but the trunk popped open and the redhead had no complaints. She tossed her bags in with such haste and so little regard for the car, she could practically hear the hate build. "Thank you!" Ruby uttered, sliding into the passenger seat. Winter wasn't stopping her, so that was a plus.

     "My father wanted to pick you up, and my sister actually, but last minute party concerns arose." Winter shifted gears into drive and pulled out in rush, way too lead footed for Ruby's taste.

     "No sending Alfred the butler, huh?" Ruby joked, trying to ease the mood and delay her impending heart attack. Winter just kept speeding up as she turned onto the town's main roads, the only saving grace being the entire place felt abandoned.

     "We don't have a butler. Maids come to clean, and we have a maintenance staff for the Castle, but my father finds the concepts of man servants repulsive. As do I. I didn't serve four years in the Bundeswehr to have someone get my groceries for me." Ruby didn't know what the speed limit was down these roads, but the roads sure as heck weren't meant to take turns like this. In winter. As it snowed. How?

     "The Bundeswehr?"

     "The army."

     "You were in the army?" Ruby noted, reaching for some small connection, maybe finally melt down this unseasonal coldness, "My mother was in the army as well, well the Marines, she was a combat engineer." Winter failed to react, probably because, as Ruby remembered so wonderfully from the night they met, she already knew.

     "You don't act like it." _Well I tried._

     "Maybe not, my mom was kind of... well I can't really call her a hippy. She did run a private security company after all, but like, she always wanted to do good, all that protecting people stuff. I don't know, but I think, even if we didn't keep the discipline, or roughness, my mom kept that like, moral importance in our lives. All protect and serve." Her mom cared about making a difference, in her own way. Ruby did, too. Totally different tools, assault rifles and pens only connection being the fingers that held them, but to the Roses the concept was the same.

     "I fail to see how giving up her job in the army and becoming a soldier of fortune is exactly an honorable action. As I see it, she took her training and ran towards the quickest avenue for gain." Ruby clenched up, but didn't take the bait. The whole no mercy for mercenaries ideology wasn't new to her. They didn't see how much time Summer put into picking her contracts, reaching out to efforts that couldn't afford companies like her's normally. Being independent to Summer meant controlling what, and on whose side of, conflicts she was on. The power to make a choice, agency.

     "Please don't insult my mother, thank you," Ruby replied robotically, but it seemed to cause a twitch in Winter, perhaps, just maybe, guilt gurgling in her gut? "Least I think I get why you hate me so much. That's progress." The attempt at a joke gained no traction, only further erratic driving.

     "I don't hate you," Winter replied, after a long silence, cold tone and all, "I am _distrustful_ of you. I know you think me and my sister hate each other, but we were really close once. Why I tried to pull you apart is because of who _you_ are. A novelist? Perpetually poor more likely than anything else. A leech on Weiss. She has a habit of that, buying love. After I came back from the military, her girlfriends tended to be reasons why we fought. Emerald? She destroyed our relationship. I tried to warn her, I came to her before our father found out. She didn't listen. I didn't see you as any different." Ruby felt her blood begin to cook in her, Christmas cold sure as heck found its way out of her body. After all her effort, no one on Earth had any right to make that comparison.

     "I haven't taken a dime from Weiss, in 5 years, till this trip, and it wasn't—"

     "Your choice. I know. Weiss told me she threatened to break up with you if you didn't come," Winter interrupted, quick to cut Ruby off before the core went critical, "Coming on a Christmas trip once a year is not what I mean. I expected her to buy your clothes, your food, expensive gifts in the mail each week. She hasn't. I am surprised." Winter spoke with an almost confused dispassion, like a machine unaware of what to do with the data it received. Ruby wondered how much they fought about this. It was certainly comforting to know exactly what side Weiss was on.

     "Are you saying we're good now?" Ruby asked, trying to chill herself. It was Christmas eve after all, beating up the older sister was hardly a classy gift for the Schnee family.

     "Consider yourself on probation, Ruby Rose, but remember: Emerald had such a hard time getting a job out of university while Weiss started over, and I'm why." _And what great things came of it,_ Ruby mumbled in her own mind, remembering vividly how it tore Weiss up, Emerald targeting her again, made desperate by Winter's justice. Perhaps it spoke to the redhead's nievity, but between Weiss' smile and revenge, there was no question.

     The rest of the ride was silent, only broken up once Winter turned into the complex gate, an intricate iron set of doors, bars beat into snowflake symbols each matching the black mark on Weiss' body. Even from here, paused as Winter whispered a handful of German at the gate keypad, Ruby could see the tops of this Schnee Castle. Much more modern than the stone structure of El Vale, a cross between a mansion and a cathedral. The structure meant to show off prestige more than defense, constructed in an age when cannons rendered traditional stonework pointless. Still, it robbed Ruby's breath, the white topped roofs, snow building up on every extension, something of a fairy tale.

     "Before you have any delusions of owning this place one day, the property is already divided between multiple segments of the family and government. You won't be marrying into a royal fiefdom, don't even bother trying." Ruby ignored Winter, opting instead to let her inner child out. As the car drove through the gate into this late period Castle grounds, Ruby devoured the sights. Signs of garden mazes sat on other end of the plaza, likely once alive with flowers and now draped in a preserving white cover, resting for Christmas. From above, she wondered if they drew images in the earth of snowflakes, the Schnee seemed permanently locked with the sigil. Today though, everything had to appear a flat field of pristine snow, still and perfect.

 _Weiss grew up here,_ Ruby realized, imagining a child, molded in silver from head to toe, dancing through the crystalline grounds. How much adventure there had to be, things to explore. To live fantasy, no wonder she thought Ruby's books a little silly. That was okay, so long as she was reading. So long as Weiss was waiting.

     She was. Still forged in that pure sterling metal, watching from the door. How could she stand like that, against the winter's cold, white thin dress with black lace clinging to her shoulders. The thick parka cover could only protect her so much, nothing for her exposed legs, or frozen feet, cramped in heels. Ruby needed out.

     "What the hell is my sister doing?" Winter whined. Ruby would have agreed if they had the moments left to spend. Not thinking a thing of it, the redhead tossed the door open as soon as the car slowed, ducking out into the snow littered plaza. Weiss stared down, nonplussed expression hiding the excitement she showed in the tap of her foot or the twist of her smile. Not that it mattered. Weiss was a Christmas present worth a dash.

     "Weiss!" Ruby charged her without a hint of concern, skipping steps on the short entrance climb. That pushed the Schnee over the edge, she couldn't wait, stepping down to her partner.

     "Ruby," Weiss shot back, real happiness in her voice. Totes worth the cramped flight followed by a cramped taxi, cramped train, and cramped car with a bonus scary sister. Just so worth everything.      "What the hell are you doing in a sweater? Get a jacket you idiot—Hey!"

     Ruby's retort took the form of locking arms, quick to wrap around her body. Damn, she was frozen. "I'm busy loving on you, hold on!" Ruby joked, easily picking Weiss up and twirling around, dangerously close to slipping on icy steps. The redhead could almost hear Winter protest as she gave Weiss little kisses on her collar.

     "Let me down!" She struggled to no avail.

     "Nope, you have to say the magic word!"

     "Both of you!" Winter roared, reminding Ruby she existed, "Get inside now, you look like buffoons out in just that!" Weiss looked ready to fight as her sister strolled by them with menacing eyes and the redhead's bags. It was whatever, Ruby didn't care. She giggled, happy to put Weiss down and get inside.

     "Well, show me your fine estate, you beautiful princess of the northern folk," Ruby joked, faking a bow as she stepped up the stairs, happy to get out of the freaking cold slush. Weiss's eyes turned over in distain, but quick to follow her girlfriend up to the entrance.

     "This way, your sister and company have already arrived," Weiss mumbled, opening the front door, warm melting air flowing out of the largest foyer in the history of man, a wide hall, tall enough to support a Christmas tree that looked like a redwood's baby cousin comfortably. With the evergreen splitting the center, stairways reformed both sides, colored to look like rolling white banners down the steps. Everything in this castle was either unmoved monochrome, or Christmas additives of green and red lights bursting in from the left hall, the ballroom more than likely.

     "Yang?" Ruby asked without thinking. Her whole family was invited to come, not too surprising, considering they were a few days away by bike, that they'd actually make it. Been too long since she saw her sister, dad, or Envida.

     "Rubes!" The golden girl's voice was more exhilarating than the Berlin air on a naked body. The redhead was smiling before her eyes even caught up to the heavy assailant, the flurry of yellow hair and tightness of hug gave Yang away in an instant. Her company managed to send a stronger shock.

     "Hey Ruby, how have you been?" Blake, strapped into so many sweaters she made it obvious that this thin Italian girl was about as well adjusted to snow flurries as a shaved cat.

     "Hiya Blake, I've been great. Glad you could come!" The family sort of included her, both as Yang's, sometimes off, but ninety percent on, girlfriend of like five years now. Barring their stupid spats, the pair always ended up back together, and, at least from Envida's perspective, were practically married. Blake didn't talk to Ruby much, but she gathered the girl was still in Beacon for law now, getting involved in local politics or some other, probably exciting trouble.

     "Good to see you, Ruby," Envidia said. She of course came with them, in full Raven persona, heftier leathers as dark as her colored hair, definitely helped her feel and look younger than her years. "Your father could not come, he is off in Nigeria again thanks to El Hombre del Dinero, Señor Schnee." _The money man._ Spanish could neither hide the indignation in Envida's voice, nor the words' meaning. Schnees were, after all, about the most multilingual family on the face of this planet.

     "I promise, it's a short, month long excursion. He's setting up some self-sustaining projects there and coming right home. I can't keep a family man away from his wife if I wanted to!" Mr. Schnee, as he always seemed to be, appeared quick to clean up the spittle from any Schnee messes, his joyous smile and easy tone wielded in perfect balance. Still, Ruby had grown, not quite close, but a little fond of his goofy ways. His financial aid for education meant many a phone call to get to know one another when the semester bills started piling up, always making good on his grad school promise.

     "Hi William," that sounded way weirder to say in person than the thousand times Ruby had done it over the phone, "Thank you for inviting me."

     "Ruby, I'm so glad you could make it. I've been telling Weiss to bring you over for Christmas for years now," overly comfortable, the larger gentleman patted Ruby on the back like old friends, a gesture equal parts disarming and awkward, "Weiss already has your dress ready and picked out, other than that I wanted to say hello before the caterers drag me kicking and screaming back to the ballroom. Please, if you need me, tap me on the shoulder, I'm just looking for an escape. Merry Christmas."

     "Yes, and please tell me you have something more fitting for a ball than, well, _that_ Mrs. Long?" If there was an opposite to disarming, Winter was it.

     "Winter, sweetheart, you're needed," Mr. Schnee took the opportunity to get rid of the family time bomb as he made his escape, leaving the Long clan to further boil their leather jackets in hate.

     "La bruja is testing me." Envida's ever so descriptive nickname got a silent chuckle from Weiss.

     "Don't worry, Mama, I'll kick her ass in my bitchin' heels," Yang remarked, hefting a worn duffle bag, weary from way too many road trips, "Rubes, you got to check out the dresses we snatched up in Lyon on the way, Blake's is just fabulous."

     "After we spend an hour ironing everything, what were we thinking. Who goes to a winter ball on motorcycles," Blake complained, snatching another bag from the floor, its threads tight and fresh, unmarked by trips that never happened.

     "It was fun," Yang countered, throwing one arm over her partner's shoulders.

     "No, it was cold, and windy, and I am taking a train back!" Blake hissed, earning a self-enthused grin from Yang, quick to laugh it off and pull her lover closer, clutching her like a grumpy cat trying to get away.

     "Don't be pissy now," Yang demanded, muscular arms wrapped around Blake's shoulders, easily cutting across her slender frame. The Italian, despite not being a fighter, made sure she paid for that.      "Ow, god damn it, she bit me! What are you, four?" Blake did not reply, smile spread across her lips as Yang detached and hopped away. The small bite mark bruise on her arm was going to be an interesting thing to explain to the party goers. "Okay, someone needs a nap, we need an ironing board, and I need a band aid."

     "Don't be a wuss, it was barely a nibble."

     "It's been two years and after ten minutes in my house, Yang's already injured herself. Jesus," Weiss opened, rubbing her temples trying to edge out the pain in her head.

     "Your dress is pretty," Ruby mumbled only to her, taking a bull's rush approach to making Weiss feel a better. She sighed, either regretting Ruby or thanking god for her. The redhead wondered if these were mutually exclusive options.

     "It's beautiful, way too expensive to be pretty," Weiss' voice, despite the content of her words, went from angry hot to happily warm, and her hand, cold but welcome, gripped Ruby's. "Yours, I must say, is even nicer. Shall I show you all to your rooms?"

* * *

     She was right, Ruby's dress was too damn good. "Wow," the redhead mumbled, looking at herself, impressed for once. Sure, the heels made walking harder than chess, and what little remained of the girl's baby face came back to haunt her, but the red dress preformed age redefining wizardry. The dress was held tight by a black center ribbon and black netted shoulders, that thankfully was so thin and soft it breathed for her skin, heck she didn't even mind the weird cleavage slit. Maybe it was the dress, maybe it was finally gaining Yang's height in stupid heels, or maybe it was having Envidia and the bumble bee duo form an official "make Ruby hot" tribunal do her make up. Whatever it was, the end result was feeling more mature, more classic, more—

     "Damn, you look really grown up, Ruby," Blake mumbled from Ruby's temporary bed, leaving her own and Yang's room for the golden girl to change while she chilled in Ruby's. Which, considering Weiss, was definitely going to see no use over the break aside from being a nap enabled changing stall.

     "Thanks, Blake." The older girl already had her own dress on, a super pretty, but a little less Schnee style extravagant, purple get up, with a side slit that showed off her legs in a way Yang probably appreciated. Complete with a little black bow, Ruby thought her absolutely adorable.

     "Don't thank me, please just go back to being a cute little baby child, because you're really making me feel old." Blake smirked, signaling the innocence in her remark.

     "No, so long as we are in school, we're still children. Totally doesn't count! You can't make me an adult, Blake, I won't let you!" Ruby groaned. How the wonders of childhood were dissolving into the doldrums and terrors of functional adulthood. "But from what I hear, someone, wouldn't know who, has begun running for city council now. So responsible!"

     "Yeah," Blake mumbled, red streaks darkening her complexion, always a sucker for compliments, "I just got tired of not being able to do anything, thought I'd try. I'm probably not going to win, but hey, maybe I can put some pressure on people? Make them deal with the stagnant injustices no one wants to even discuss. It's my responsibility as a citizen, even if it's not my homeland." Blake, despite being embarrassed, kept her voice steady, head high, convictions polished perfect. She'd do great. "And hey, while we're at a fancy event, I mighty find myself some wealthy donors to corrupt me." As if they could.

     "You'll win them all over with your stirring passion, Blake! Start with Mr. Schnee, he's kind of a big fluffy pushover. Well, a pushover that's really good at making people buy stuff," Ruby remarked, giving a final glance at the full body mirror, one of the many amenities a Castle guest room had, including and not limited to a TV twice the size of Ruby's home set, full bath made of hopefully fake marble, and a balcony outstretched into the snowy German winter. This place was huge, even considering the entire west wing was a barred off national museum.

     "He is certainly not the person I imagined." Blake's expression morphed, eyes low, scanning nothing, mind's eye looking internally. Her jaw locked, finding and dealing with something inside, a story Ruby didn't know. Mr. Schnee certainly had that effect. "I think we should go now. Party's started, hasn't it?" A polite request to not deal with this right now, one the redhead thought better of refusing.

     Ruby nodded, taking wobbly steps out of her room, Blake following on her tail with all of the girl's missing grace. Envida awaited them outside, her outfit was longer, frillier, a touch cheaper and inverted color from Ruby's. Black as its primary, the Spanish style folded with a gradient of red. "Hey, we match Ruby."

     "Well, I should be pretty stoked to look anything like you, Envida," Ruby half joked, impressed by how well Yang's mom aged. One might confuse her for an older sister, but maybe that was just her biker aura.

     "Do not flirt with a crone now, Weiss is waiting in the ballroom. Go." Envida waved her off, happy to wait for her daughter, Blake the same. Ruby considered adding herself to the list of hall denizens, but, despite the repressive castle shrinking her down, the uncomfortable pressure on her back heels, or the horror that would be the steps in these things, Ruby couldn't wait. Weiss had paid well over a thousand euros to insure a super awkward date, and god willing she survived the descent, Ruby was not ruining it.

* * *

**Yang Xiao Long**

     Frankly, Yang looked better naked. Not to diss the simple ivory strapped dress entirely, it was the best formal gown that didn't look off against the curved chaotic surface of her muscled shoulders. It was rare Yang actually felt like she took a step down dressing up after years of cultivating such a killer style and fashion sense. Oh hell, maybe this was just the work of impressive body confidence boosting Blake had been laying on her lately. Sometimes with her words, other times with her hands, and her mouth.

     "Still looking sexy, Yangarang," she whispered to her mirrored clone, each Yang flipping double thumbs up for the other. Dress on, makeup perfected, hair lush and wild like the jungles of southeast Asia, the golden girl was ready for her mission. Make as many old German dudes start sweating as she could. Most important of these old German dudes being Blake of course.

     Yang kicked her door open, for dramatic effect of course. It slammed against the hall wall, hopefully not breaking anything, and alerting her travel companions that the one true Long had come for them. "Yo Blake, how do I look?"

     Blake's giggle bubbled up, just a little from her comedic boiling core. "You look, well a little wild for a ball," she managed to answer, eyebrows rising up just a touch, her tired brand of happy. Envida, less enthused, cursed silently in Spanish, quick to check the door for any mysterious holes it might have magically punched into the walls.

     "Well, you know me, my kind of party only starts when bases bigger than me get rolled in," Yang announced, chest out and chin skyward, happy to protest against the snobbish and funless nature of the Schnee family. Except maybe William. Yang kept a silent suspicion that the old man knew how to party when the time was right. He was a product of the seventies, how could he not? "But seriously, am I the stuff of your dreams or not?"

     "My dreams are a little more appropriate than you," Blake joked, eyes shining with a dim light one might mistake as dead. Something was dragging her down, draining. With mom there, Yang resisted asking outright, preferring to slowly sway toward her and keep up the cheer.

     "Excuse you, my dress is fairly conservative," Blake was quick to point at Yang's chest, noting her choice of push up bras. Now that was just rude. "Compared to my usual clothes, I mean! Plus a little cleavage is perfectly cool, even Ruby's dress shows off the knockers a bit, and she barely has any." Blake's lips curved up for a moment, Yang's silliness successfully swerved at least some of its way past the fog of funk Blake seemed surrounded by.

     "Okay, yes, you look positively seducing Yang Xiao Long." Blake's choice of words intrigued Yang, pushing her into Blake's gravitational pull. The bigger girl was eager to get her arms around her girlfriend, the soft fabric of their dresses providing very little separation between them.

     "Alright," Envida interrupted, stepping past this entangling lover's mass, "I'm going down to the party. You two, just don't get caught." Yang laughed, grasping her mother's meaning. Someone was jumping to the meaty bits a bit quick.

     "I'm having a moment mama, don't ruin it!" Yang mock shouted, showing off a grin so her mother didn't go all stereotype and kick her ass with a wooden cooking spoon.

     "I'm leaving!" Envida repeated, making her way down the stairs and leaving the bumble bee pair interlocked and alone. Perfect, time for real talk.

     "Hey, I—" Blake cut Yang off with a sweet peck on her cheek, a sweet 'it's okay' in kissing form.

     "I'm sorry, I know I'm acting strange. You know how I am about the Schnee family." Blake might have let go of her grudge years ago, but that wasn't the same as forgiving, or forgetting. This was her enemies' Castle, the company that seemed to chase her from country to country, getting involved for good, but often ill. Now she was in that company's beating heart.

     "Must be weird for you, I get it," Yang whispered, squeezing Blake in her arms for support. She could keep Blake safe, no matter where they were. The fighter would take out the world if it made her feel better, and even if it would never come to that, Yang wanted to make sure she knew it.

     "I was ready for it Yang, but it's so different than what I thought. Well, except for Winter, she's as tight assed as I thought," Yang couldn't hold it it, snorted a laugh for trying, "But like Weiss, I know she's alright. And William? I expected a malicious mastermind, instead he's more like an ignorant god, crushing us low mortals without even knowing it. He practically crushed me in a hug today and this is the guy whose factory cost my parents their job. I wasn't ready for a jolly old man." Blake's confession was founded on years of trust. Yang was amazed every day how far she came. Without even needing to ask a question, Blake opened up. That trust, god, it was beautiful.

     "Hey, I might be the biggest loser on the planet, my little sister's about to get her masters, and I'm not even a finished undergrad, but I love you very much and whatever, I'm on your side. You want to stay up here, maybe watch some weird German TV, drink all the wine we can steal, and have crazy sex, just say it, and I will literally tear this dress from my shoulders," Yang announced, her voice steady, a clear rhythm, no exaggerations, no confusion.

     "Yang, we just bought it."

     "Maybe, but your feelings don't have price, not even in the fanciest Paris shops." Blake's smile was too bright for the "super level" girl. To hide it, she buried her face into her girlfriend's shoulder, nuzzled into the strong body of such a sweet idiot. Yang happily collected her victory, enjoying the cuddly Italian.

     "Thank you, Yang, but," Blake pulled away, just enough to take a deep needed breath and blow out the fog of old pains in her lungs. Yang didn't fight her exodus knowing when to let her relax. "We're both grown ups now, you're finishing up school, I'm shooting for local politics, we got to let go of the past bullshit, don't we?" Yang nodded. Blake's lips curled and eyes burned with the right form of amber light. Taking Yang's chin in her hands, she quickly kissed her partner, not too intense, predicting plenty of that when the party had them all boozed up. "And hey, if we go down there, we can mess with Winter. What's better at exercising the ghosts of my teenage angst than fucking with the source?"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this special was going to just be like a billion pages long so I split it. When you're at 14 and like "Nah it's missing content" you have a problem. And before you all say anything, I am very much aware it's a little late for the holidays, hope you'll forgive me. So bad news about it being a two parter. Longer wait for this chapter. Good news, short wait for next one.


	24. Choice: Holiday Special part 2

**Ruby Rose**

     "Ruby, breath, you're cool, you can do this." She was not cool, there was no doing this. The twisting stairwell wasn't as big a deal as she feared. Three steps down and Ruby suddenly realized shoes came off just as easily as they do on. From the foyer, it was only a short walk, heel practice time, looking as suave as she could whenever the occasional guest passed her on the way to the ballroom. All good till she actually stepped through the double wood doors, past the guards and into gathered guests, who were chatting about the festivities within tripling audio intensity once inside. The Christmas stained party flooded the senses. Rapid speech stretched across many tongues, turning to a mushy white noise complemented by music always just a few decibels higher. A wafting heat smelled sweet, tasting of scented wood and just a faint hint of ash, crackling fires warming the room at each corner. Most bombastic of all, the visuals. The ceiling stretched high, stained glass that silently resisted dropping snow was scarred with fluid patterns of snowflakes, each pane held up by flying buttresses, all dark stone fixtures in the moonlight, only lightly colored by the last sight of dusk. Still that input was dwarfed by the mass of mingling of masters and mistresses, fancy, older, wealthier, alien.

     "Not your sort of festivities, Ruby?" Mr. Schnee's voice flowed easily between the battling sounds. So practiced, his vocal bass found ways to seep into the cracks of the human audible range. If he wanted to be heard, he would find a way to do so comfortably, even now.

     "Oh, uh, hi William," Ruby mumbled out after her initial jump, "I'm from more of a 'combat boots' sort of family, the whole fancy party thing isn't," Ruby added with her patented awkward laugh. The older man smiled, emitting surprising warmth. Matched with the beard he reminded Ruby of a fit Santa in a fine white suit.

     "Here, have a drink. It'll calm the nerves and make you feel more confident," Mr. Schnee offered one of his two champagne glasses to her, intricate little thing. They too, like everything else in this place, had etched snowflakes along the inside. "Trust me, even if you don't drink it, everyone looks more mature with one," William added, sensing her hesitation.

     "Thanks," Ruby figured it was worth a shot, so long as she didn't drop the probably priceless heirloom of German nobility. Perhaps after downing a few something might happen. After all, last time she got wasted a cute girl asked her out and changed her life in a way neither of them intended.

     "Don't worry so much about all this 'fancy party stuff', that was always more Winter and Weiss' deal. I just really like Christmas," Mr. Schnee half-lied sweetly. This is only helping my 'you're Santa' headcanon, William, Ruby joked with herself, happy to see talking getting a little easier with the man. Well for him, still felt like dragging furniture up stairs to call him anything other than sir.

     "Where are those two, anyways?" Ruby asked, mostly for her own selfish reasons. The waves of bodies were terrible difficult to sort through. Come on, William, what do you see with your tall people eyes?

     "Winter's out on the balcony with a boy from her veteran's association. She thinks I don't know about him," his voice dropped to a playful whisper, pulling a chuckle out of both of them, "Hell, this party might be more to impress that kid than any of our business partners." Picturing Winter pining after anyone was a stretch. "As for Weiss, she's out towards the left, surrounded by vultures. Everyone's trying to get in on her new indie record label since she released her own single and snagged a few up and coming bands here in Germany. Nothing huge, but she's doing fairly well, and you should see their faces. With the SDC invested in her, Weiss gets to say no, a lot. Drives them bloody mad." Ruby knew some of the details; her online focused upstart company, the single, it was also pretty awesome stuff, even if it hadn't made it across the sea yet proper. Didn't keep Ruby from listening to it on repeat after acquiring the goods from an inside man. Or woman. It was Weiss. Made Ruby proud, but from the way William looked at her, eyes near watering with contentment, he was probably more.

     "I guess I shouldn't bother her then," Ruby mumbled without thinking. A careful glance judged her, William noting her dismay.

     "Ruby, my daughter is destined to be someone important, both in the music world, and the business one. If you want to one day be more than just her girlfriend across the sea, you're going to have to get used to cutting in line." William's expression was firmly joyous as was the spirit of Christmas, but the words danced on Ruby's chest. Mostly because they were true. "But while you're gathering courage, there is someone I'd like you to meet," the German pseudo-Santa immediately folded back into his usual charm.

     "Who?" Ruby asked. William returned only a wink.

     "Take my arm, it'll help you walk a little steadier, and make me look younger." He may have been joking, but Ruby would take the training wheels either way. With him taking the lead, navigating the social channels was easy. None got in William's way, and by extension Ruby moved through the party like a bullet. "Doctor Autumn, may I borrow you?!"

     The arrival shocked both the perceived target and Ruby. For a doctor, she certainly didn't look that old or that emotionally scarred by a recent thesis. The woman stood tall, gifted with tan markless skin, chocolate eyes, and short brown hair. She felt breezy, like a distant fall storm. "Mr. Schnee, merry Christmas and thank you for the invite," the doctor started with a honey tinged English accent.

     "Ruby, this is Doctor Autumn. She's a professor of literature for King's College in London and runs the Four Maiden's, a leader in European publishing." Oh lord no, you set me up! "Doctor, this is my friend Ruby Rose. She's Weiss' partner, currently a master's of literature student in the states."

     "Nice to meet you, Ms. Rose, good to meet a fellow scholar, and as for running Four Maidens, I'm just one of said four," the young doctor was quick to reach out her free hand, "And we're not leaders, so much as a little foundation set up to help young female authors get more exposure, but William here loves to compliment." Ruby was happy to shake her hand, feeling a weird kinship. They both read too much and paid too much for university. What could build thicker bonds? Finally something to connect her to the guest besides their mutual glasses of champagne.

     "Speaking of compliments, I thought you two would like to talk. Ruby's just got a few novels of her own published," only the one, "I must say she is certainly a talent, not a word left to waste in all of her works I've read," It helps that you haven't read any of it, William! Ruby tried laughing, maybe that would hide the growing nervous sweating.

     "Oh that is a compliment, would I have seen anything, Ms. Rose? No worries if not, I know how difficult it can be to get published overseas," Autumn reassured her, maybe noticing the shuffling awkwardness.

     "Nah, my only real published novel never left my home state. I got picked up by a local publisher, Signal Press, but I've mostly been focused on grad school, my next novel is kind of maybe what my master's thesis is going to be. I don't even know anymore," Ruby tried to ignore the shrinking feeling, a tiny thing, trying to be something, anything, in a room full of success, only to be pulled lower no matter how much it struggled against the tar.

     "That's incredible. I didn't get any fiction published outside my university until I was finished with my doctor's thesis. I'm happy to hear you're on shelves. Keep putting it out there." Whoever this woman was, whether she was just a gentle soul, tired of the topic, or actually meant it, the words felt like a much needed refreshing breeze. "Tell me Ruby, what drives you to write?"

     "Easy, everything," Ruby piped up, not confident in herself, but definitely in this, the foundation built on a firm twenty three years of life, "I mean, I use to say because I loved fairy tales growing up, but it's really just everything in my life. The people I meet, the places I see, things I wished happened and I'm terrified of. Honestly, I can't understand how people don't want to make things, you know?" Autumn's eyes broadened to take in the breath of Ruby's enthusiasm.

     "I can't think of a better attitude," Autumn lips crafted a grin as she sipped from her champagne, pleased at the result. "My foundation generally works with girls in the Eurozone, but we'd welcome seeing a submission from you. Get my contact information from Willaim if you're interested in that or maybe taking a semester at King's college."

     "I might, thanks," Ruby felt a touch of enthusiasm and latched onto it. Yeah, why not? She could try ASAP.

     "Go for it, Ms. Rose, but for now, you'll have to excuse me. Ladies room." Ruby liked her, liked the way she smiled with a maternal glow, the way she walked dripping with confidence and authority. A professor comfortable in a tank full of sharks, businessmen. She was cool, and watching her leave, Ruby felt her lungs finally pull at the air again.

     "So," William waited for Autumn to clear out of earshot before starting again, "not the best at networking, but I think your sincerity impressed her."

     "Ha, it's my good trait. Couldn't really do that whole, you know—"

     "Lying with a completely straight face?"

     "Yeah, that."

     "Well, it's why we make a good team," William chucked, not completely lacking in self awareness, "plus, I didn't lie. I have faith you're excellent, Weiss doesn't lie either." Ruby knew that for sure.

     "So did you invite her just to pimp me out to a publisher?" Ruby questioned, no malice hot on her breath. She just wanted to know if there was some side motive for being ferried to the east. Maybe Winter's plan to make sure she would be a good investment?

     "No," William whined his words with a pleasant tune, "There are multiple publishers here, Autumn's just also a personal friend, and it wasn't my idea."

     "Winter?" Ruby aired her suspicion. Apparently that was funny, because William coughed up a small chuckle.

     "No, Weiss. She didn't want you to know, but she's confident in your skill, so am I. We invite a few publishers and you can sell your books, networking. It's kind of fun," maybe for you, Ruby noted to herself, unable to muster a response. She didn't feel pains of betrayal, more just guilt. Ruby hated owing the Schnee family, especially Weiss. "Speaking of which, you have a girl to see."

     "Now?" Ruby asked, delaying her fate momentarily, crowd around her was just as large, now composed of entirely different people. Weiss was a conveyor belt of business.

     "God be with you. Good luck, Ruby Rose." The older Schnee patted his guest's shoulder and abandoned her to the wolves. Leaving her to watch Weiss, still surrounded by buzzing men and women. Hell, this was the time. She had a mission, right from the Schnee head. Ruby downed her glass of champagne, nearly spit it out from the nasty, burning sour flavor literally bubbling in her mouth, and went.

     Probably from how she pushed through mostly by fumbles, Weiss was already looking at her before Ruby cleaved fully through the crowd. As if it wasn't dreadfully awkward enough. "Hi Weiss, uh—"

     "Excuse me, Flynt, we'll have to discuss your options later. My partner's here and I've been waiting for a dance," Weiss, taking after her father's utter control of any conversation, just walked away from her solicitors. Which one Flynt was, Ruby had no idea, and Weiss apparently did not care. "I've been waiting for you."

     "Does fashionably late count as an excuse?" Weiss snatched her arm, apparently deciding no on that one. "Seriously though, I'm just kind of a mess out there, and your dad started trying to, like, network for me. Really this has all been weird, is this weird for you?" Weiss stopped being phased by word vomit about three years prior. Not slowed in the least, Ruby could barely keep from tripping on herself as her girlfriend literally dragged her to the ballroom dance floor. "Oh, did I mention I can't even walk in heels, much less dance, and this is going to definitely kill me?"

     "Shut up, it's Christmas. Dance with me." Weiss' words came out a demand, not a request. Her expression needy, tired, weary of endless talking, jaw finally put to rest. All Ruby could do now was try.

     "Okay," she mumbled, trying to match Weiss' steps, thrilled they started on a slow song. Every step for the heiress was perfect, angled, practiced. Ruby, her's amounted to sideways walking. "The dress is beautiful by the way." Weiss let a light laugh escape her weakened jaws, one coated in a layer of exhaustion.

     "This night was definitely more enjoyable to plan than be a part of. It's this moment, this is what I've been waiting for." Weiss lowered her head, letting it rest against her partner's collar, a taller frame supporting her easily.

     "Ditto," Ruby whispered, slowing so she did not trip. Dancing seemed more like a gentle locked rotation now, but she didn't mind. The rocking motion suited the evening, more like the gentle drifting snow than the rest of the quickening party. "Except for the planning bit, that would just suck, too. How do you even set this up?"

     "A lot of caterers, for one. The system's actually superbly designed. This yearly charity Christmas party is a masterwork."

     "You're a nerd." Weiss didn't bother countering that. They just sort of stayed a twisting merging of bodies, like two trees curling around each other. Neither really bothered to stop, even as the song changed. No one stared, likely knew better. This home, this Castle, had its own authority. It was a kingdom unto themselves, and for once, in this stupid party, in heels that dug into the backs of her feet, people alien to her in every corner, and even a Winter after her with a lover outside, Ruby felt perfectly safe. Belonging. This was Weiss' castle, and even if she wasn't the princess type, here, for Christmas, Weiss could be her knight in shining armor.

     "Yo, how are my favorite pair of beautiful lesbians tonight!?" Well, no one could protect anyone from Yang.

     "What is it now you—we were having a moment!" Weiss shouted as soon as the golden girl jumped the pair, wrapping her arms around them, an uncomfortably slapped on third wheel.

     "Hey, don't be too mad, me and Blake will happily leave you alone, but," Yang lowered her voice to a hushed whisper, just under the radar of white noise honed party guests, "but me and Blake, in the spirit of revenge, have embarked on a new game of taking Winter's stuff and hiding it around the Castle, since you know, stealing would kind of be rude. You two in?" That was just getting into childish territory—

     "You don't even know the best spots. Castle White has a full dungeon if you really want to piss her off." No Weiss, we are adults!

     "Damn Weiss, I like this new dark kick. Let's do it," Yang replied, happily accepting the nefarious help.

     "I don't know if that's a good idea guys," Ruby tried. A girl's gotta at least try.

     "Hey, Santa's not real, why worry about being naughty?" Weiss asked, saying three things in one sentence, "After all I got my Christmas wish."

* * *

**Weiss Schnee**

     William Schnee had a devout appreciation for Christmas like no atheist man Weiss had ever crossed. When Christmas morn struck, despite the sickening poisons from last night still circulating violently in their blood, despite the late hours of their activities, despite how Winter spent a good two hours trashing the place in a beautiful nightmare Weiss would forever remember as the "mystery of the hidden condoms", their father was up, dressed in his disgustingly bright Santa outfit, hot chocolate in both hands and German Christmas carols spilling from his mouth. The guests hated it, Weiss hated it, but no one could hate him. Not with the type of tribute a man like him could muster.

     "How do you like it, Ruby?" The redheaded, dream idled sweetheart was reasonably dumbstruck. Inside her red velvet wrapped box awaited a treasure anyone with a passion for literature would find divine. The gift, three simple books. Two volumes of a well maintained, but still stained and marked with personal touches, copy of the Kinder- und Hausmärchen. The book was dated 1857, a re-release, better known in English as Grimms' Fairy Tales. The original 1812 German text a prized possession of their culture, and Ruby held it with the touch of a midwife. She loved it.

     "Thank you so much, it's incredible!" The third book was simply an ordered translation of the former. New of course, special requested pamphlet, simply meant to allow Ruby to understand her gift as well as any German national. The glow of pride spread gently from Weiss, though she did not mention it, this gift awaited under their great tree at her suggestion.

     "No problem, can't have you part of this family without understanding our culture's classics. Now for the Long family. I know I've caused some grief, I'm hoping this can help undo some of it." Yang and Envida's gift came with much more expenses than size, contained in a simple folder beside the heftier boxes that piled on top of eachother, mostly silly trinkets for Winter and Weiss.

     "These are tickets?" Yang mumbled, pulling out a bunch of receipts and paperwork more akin to an expense report than a Christmas gift.

     "It's a trip, planned and paid for, and it's not as expensive as it looks. I just thought the two of you might appreciate seeing Mr. Long, getting a look at what old Taiyang does, and I know you love travel, Yang." William Schnee, despite his tendency to play up this rich man routine, often lived a frugal existence. Weiss knew he would patch up clothing for years before replacing it. He never bothered paying anyone a dime to do work he could manage, cut corners on every personal expense he could, rode coach when no business partners were with him, and, aside from his expensive taste in cars, reserved his only absurd expenses for his favorite holiday. The man loved being Santa.

     "Mr. Schnee, we cannot possibly accept!" Envida tried to start, but even Winter shook her head. After over 30 years of this, the siblings did not bother complaining about his excess. At least, for as little as they were a family, Christmas was a warm affair. That, and despite how costly each component of the plans might have seemed, William likely paid a minor penance compared to the standard price, pulling on contacts like the wires of a puppet. Weiss thought it sweet, despite their gaping emotional distance, that father tried, at least for Christmas, to endear himself to Ruby's family.

     "It's non-refundable. Please, let an old man be childish," Envida was defended by his uncharacteristic givings. Weiss wondered how the Long-Rose family would react knowing how much he donated to children's hospitals on Christmas. Grandfather Schnee cried from the grave yearly and the moral scales tipped, however meekly, a little more in William Schnee's favour. "Blake, I don't really know you well, to be honest, but I have heard of your ambitions. For Christmas, I got you a small investment. 600 Euros. It won't be much, even for a city council campaign, but it'll pay for flyers."

     "Please, Mr. Schnee, I would rather not." Blake seemed a little more offended than the others, arms crossed, amber eyes searching for some motive outside of Christmas spirit. Good luck, Weiss thought to mumble, but did not.

     "I don't say no. Consider me Mr. Clause."

     "With the beard, not gonna lie, I kind of already did." Ruby's comment got a hearty chuckle from Weiss' father. They were getting along near criminally well.

     "Thank you, Ruby, now that I've gotten the first road of gift giving, who would like to go next?" William's eyes first looked towards Weiss. Of course they did. It was all part of the plan, wasn't it? Soften everyone up by letting him go first. Buy Weiss some time before the curtain call and the final act could commence. Stage right required an unsightly skittish Schnee. Despite the machinations, despite the practice, Weiss really would rather just throw up over the gifts, drink down her hot chocolate, and be done with the season.

     "Weiss?" Winter asked, irritated. In on the scheme, which was a mistake. A terrible, terrible mistake.

     "Actually," William cut in, his years of finely tuned damage control skills acting up, Weiss bet he could smell her stage fright. "I have one last thing to show you all! Mrs. Long, and well Ms. Long, why don't you come with me. Blake too, since you'll be riding with them." Father, despite the graveness of their inter family sins, despite the many fuck ups that were never truly resolved, Weiss could find him a truly virtuous person sometimes.

     "Want me to come?" Ruby asked, restarting the whole dread cycle.

     "No," Winter stated, intolerance of incompetence weighing the words down. "You sit here, share your presents, and do it quick." No one questioned that. Maybe because Winter was always pissy, but damn it made this way easier. No audience.

     "Um, Weiss, why is your family acting weird? Am I supposed to pretend you're not setting something up?" Ruby asked, defaulting to a whisper. Weiss froze, finding that while parting the Red Sea was definitely easier than the Atlantic, both required a miracle from God, "if you wanted to like, you know, don't you think it would have just made more sense to stay in your room? Like getting your family to kick everyone out, I mean, that's not hot, that's just weird."

     "Ruby, no!" Weiss shouted, fighting the urge to drown her before she said something that embarrassing ever again. "Just, give me your present already, Jesus, do you really think I'd wntrust my family with anything involving that?"

     "Okay," Ruby let go, dropping the leaded subject, the awkward metaphorical clunk almost audible. Well, Weiss thought, at least I can't seem more disturbed. "It's not that amazing, but you kind of have more money than God, so you're really hard to buy for."

     Ruby handed her a simple gift box, wrapped in snow ribbons and crimson foil, unassuming paper and cardboard, split in a swift hand motion, freeing the inside. Beneath the exterior waited a notebook, false leather bound, a used writer's journal. The value however, was not in the material of its construction, but what was etched inside. "Ruby?"

     "It's a Weiss journal, been kind of a year long project. Whenever you're on my mind and I'm writing, or drawing, I put it in there. Some of it is happy, some of it's sad. I won't lie sometimes it gets a bit angry when I'm moody, but it's all real, it all means a lot to me. A sum of feelings over a year. You don't have to read it," but she did. Already Weiss' hands were hungry, flipping the lock and touching every page, pulling the ink into her heart. Handwritten prose, poetry, lot of silly sketches, even writer's notes on its quality. Each bit had outstanding humanity, much of its depth to be discovered step by step.

     "It's beautiful." More importantly, it was courageous. To etch vulnerability on paper and give it away. It mocked Weiss' cowardice, stirring a mixture of determination and positive guilt. How could Weiss back down, now most of all? Holding a book of emotions, least she could do was express her feelings with crystalline clarity.

     "Thanks, I'm just glad you like it." Breathe, now act.

     "I love it. I love you." Weiss' efforts to stay calm proved fruitful for now. She had her own box, much smaller, softer, no ribbons, just back cloth like exterior. Not as romantic as a dinner, the two of them in their PJs, but what else was more Ruby? Resting happily on her knees, Ruby probably forgot she was owed a gift at all. Like this their heights near matched, but Weiss took the proper position, one knee as custom, an odd shape, one even Ruby noticed. Weiss could see it in those widening silver eyes. "Ruby Rose, for Christmas, I got you something I've been waiting to give for a long time now," the redhead squealed at the sight of one of Weiss' twin boxes, crafted with one of two rings, silver sisters. Ruby's crested with a sapphire snowflake, Weiss' with a ruby cut in the shape of a Rose. "Ruby Rose will you marry me," Ruby made a muffled scream into her palm, silence somehow would have been preferable, "And because of German law be civil partners, too? As I understand it we would apply for both since our homelands have different systems, but it's essentially the same thing, just differently titled I think. Okay, let me resummerize, will you marry me, please?" Weiss shuttered as she watched herself perform a Ruby, losing control of her tongue mid sentence. Her partner, however, just remained a squealing mess, her hands practically glued to her mouth. Good squeal, bad squeal, impossible to tell. This was hell. "Ruby, god damn it, use your words!"

     "I can't," she mumbled into her hands, a near incomprehensible mess. This was not helping.

     "Why?! Just shake your head yes or no, something?!" Ruby snapped into a repetitive nod, she was crying now. Weiss almost joined in before realizing, was that a yes I will nod or yes I will marry you!? "Okay, what was that a yes to? I need to be clear!"

     "Yes, I will marry you, damn it!" Ruby's shout was the most relieving scream Weiss had ever experienced. Never had a shriek relaxed tense shoulders, and let her features release and become a content smile. Finally, peace from the two minute eternity of hell, made all the better when Ruby crawled over and collapsed on her, wet tears on Weiss' neck had never been so wanted. "Oh my god, Weiss."

     "Do you like the ring?" Weiss asked, pulling out of the embrace to let Ruby take the silver band out of its case. She fit it well, the one bit of blue she'd probably ever wear. The sight of it on her, the jeweled wedding ring on Ruby's finger, Weiss adored it.

     "Yes, I love it," Ruby blubbered, wiping her runny nose and irritated eyes, better than that, she had her stupid, goofy grin on her face, completely unmarred by how much of a disgusting mess she was. "We have to tell the others."

     "I think my father knows," Weiss mumbled, pulling Ruby to her again, no intention of letting her go, at least for a little while. "You can hear him shouting in the distance. You did say it very vigorously."

     "Still, I'ma bet Yang's confused."

     "We could mess with them for a while, pretend you said no. Get a laugh." Weiss didn't think she could, suggesting it just to hear Ruby giggle. That free form laugh, butterfly flaps in the air playing the sound of contentment, so sweet to the senses.

     "We have been a terrible influence on you."

     No, Weiss denied inside, You've been a needed revolution.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well part two is done and terribly terribly late! This is the second to last choice extra, last being released the day before Valentine's day as a Valentine's day special I HOPE (which ironically, will not be about valentine's day, but will be about love and stuff!) I'm starting this in January so I should manage that if not, kill me.
> 
> Thanks so much to Lazy Katze for the edits she is a godsend I love her to death, and all of you for being so painfully patient!


	25. Choice Extra: Valentine's season special

**Ruby Rose-Schnee**

     "Good Morning, Mrs. Schnee." Ruby's world came to her slowly, in dripping bits of paint on a canvas, a crescent of light bouncing through the bottom of her lids as they fluttered, slowly summoning the courage to wake. Touch came to her next, the mild, sour moaning of her feet from pinpoint pressure after a night on heels slow to fade. After that came hands, arms, then a body pressed against her back and grasping across the waist, a slow thumb rubbing her stomach, tickling the curves around her belly button.

     "Weiss?" The name came out mumbled and jumbled, a sleepy guess and barely lucid hope. Whomever it was, they were warm, sweet, soft, and smelled like flowers. Ruby liked flowers. Instinctively she turned over in this stranger's arms, coming face to face with a cozy and tattooed chest, breast, and midsection. All warm, best part.

     "Wow, cool it. You'll flip us out of this damned thing." The other effect of rolling over was way too much swinging and movement, whole bed turned with her. Hammock bed. That was right, El Vale. The metal band on her finger. Yes, this was Weiss, here in the Long house, and today they were married, or yesterday? "Wake up before you kill us."

     "No, warm." Ruby clutched, holding onto the pre-lucid state of sleep. Last night had been long, terribly, amazingly warm. God, it was so impossible for Ruby to pull her eyes closed then, the adrenalin, the drinks, the touch. The two of them went from their wedding party, out on the beach, to the Long home late. Wasn't her idea to rent out a beach bar for the event, but god was it a blast, the festival towers dark, sand white, drinks free, friends everywhere. Tearing away from there at midnight was hard. Tearing away from Weiss at five, even harder.

     "I will go upstairs and dump ice on you." Ruby cared not for her girlfriend's empty threats. No, that wasn't right. Wife's. Wife's. Wife's.

     "That suggests you're going to escape," the redhead slurred, voice weighed down by evening's worth of liquor and laughter. Their honeymoon flight was tomorrow, the day after Vytal, another sleepless night. Day was all there was, Weiss could sit her butt down, they were going to be vampires for a bit. Ruby made sure of that, rolling on top of Weiss and finding a nice warm headrest against the inked and smooth skin of her chest.

     "Fair enough, you've forced my hand." Before Ruby had a moment to even think of the horror about to be visited upon her, it had begun. Weiss, gripping the curved sides of the hammock, in one twisted motion committed her betrayal and turned their world upside down.

     "Shit!" Spun over, the hammock fell, along with all its contents: several blankets, multiple pillows, one mattress-like layer, and two supposedly grown women. Of course with Ruby on top, she hit the ground first, complete with a Weiss crashing down on her second. Of all the times Ruby had a naked Weiss on top of her, this was absolutely the most painful. "Weiss," Ruby groaned, "W-why?"

     "Should have let me go, I had no other choice." Weiss despite her self-satisfied tone, rolled off, body collapsing onto the remains of Ruby's wedding dress. It had been more than she ever considered wearing in her life, a twisting arrangement of red fabric patterned to transform her into a blooming rose. She loved it so much she kept it on all of the party, and all of five minutes once they got into the bedroom. Ruby wanted to rent it, but Weiss refused, wanting to preserve the relics of their day. They were worth keeping. "Are you hurt?"

     "No," Ruby answered, looking up at the still swinging hammock. The midday sun colored everything amber in autumn light. It laminated the room in Ruby's memories. The couch stood in front of a now six year old flatscreen, its arms still stained from the mini-party Yang threw their sophomore year. The punching bag was replaced, Yang still lived here, graduating soon in fitness and health. Posters, art, and memories Ruby collected over the years, waiting for her.

     New ones, too. Weiss' white wedding tuxedo, a pure white that could make snow jealous. She looked great in it, with the blue accents pulling out her eyes. She had pretty much taken most of the traditional groom positions in the wedding. She refused to be "given away" by anyone, especially her father. Instead, William was their best man. Ruby remembered how that old man's same Schnee eyes watered when Weiss had asked him. He was afraid he wouldn't be invited. Ruby wondered if either of them understood how much they loved each other. "How does it feel?" Weiss asked.

     "Amazing." Ruby didn't understand the context of the question. Didn't really matter. If it was being wed, being with Weiss, being naked on a floor, all of it was still pretty awesome right now.

     "Your court of jesters are probably waiting on you," Weiss muttered to the open air, referring of course to Penny, Nora, and Reese, all of whom were crashing on the upstairs couches instead of already booked and way too expensive hotels. With Envida and Yang, the maid of honor, all the bridesmaids were in one house, excluding Blake and Winter. Blake had her own place, or maybe was in Yang's bed, and Winter was probably off in a million dollar condo with her boyfriend.

     Ruby turned over to look at Weiss, tempered in the fall yellow light coloring her pale skin in a dim luminescence. Her hair was loose and wild, spilling past her nose over her shoulders and denied any ordered shape, twisted and ruffled, Ruby's handiwork. Tiny red marks trailed down her neck, getting darker as they went lower, again the redhead's work. Her chest rose and fell without a sound, the pink ends matched her natural lips and pronounced the beautiful scar she bore with pride. Below that the tattoo, below that a belly with slightly formed abs, fencer's muscles, and beyond that the hairs and thighs Ruby remembered from the night before. How was this part of her life? This person, with such confidence and intelligence, was now Weiss Rose-Schnee. The world would ignore the Rose part, the Schnee name mattered more, but it was on paper, it was real. "I don't wanna, my wedding, I don't have to."

     "We get a whole honeymoon. Penny and Nora only get you today, they did come all the way out here." Weiss tried and did too well at being the voice of reason. Both hated it, Ruby was sure, but their peace was not over, but delayed. Adventure awaited. Today and every day. "I will make you get up, Ruby."

     "Bully," Ruby groaned, but a pinch to the ass got her right up. On her feet, Ruby was awake truly. The cold air on her exposed body might have helped with the motivation. A morning rush in midday, each girl poking and prodding one another as they went. Ruby, between the giggles and poke wars, pulled up some leggings, loose shorts, and a lone red sweater. She could be a lazy mess complete with hair in her face and eye crusties if she wanted.

     Only person worth impressing didn't mind, even if she put some more effort herself. Blue skirt and white dress shirt, a temporary outfit before they went out proper tonight. Weiss managed to tie her hair up despite Ruby's constant interference. By the end they both looked presentably lazy, ready to walk up the stairs and make their debut. Weiss took the lead, pulling Ruby right with her into the light.

     Sound, talking. Several voices went quiet as the echo of climbed steps got louder. Together their instincts curved them towards the kitchen, the familiar sounds of frying batter and a maple smell commanding. Once they turned the corner, an ambush of cheers and whistles commenced. The court jesters were in full force. "Welcome to the living, newlywed nerds!" Reese roared above the rest. Envida in the back, the only one not cheering, rubbed her temples, too damn tired of a house full of twenty-somethings.

     "Morning, everyone!" Ruby sang back, happily sliding right onto a kitchen table stool.

     "It's four, friend." Penny corrected, spinning in her seat on the other side, an empty plate in front of her and a warm smile to match.

     "I know, which is why I'm starved. Dad, what's on the menu?" The smell gave Ruby plenty of clues. Looked like she wasn't the only person waking up so late today.

     "Pancakes, how many you want, Rubbles?" Taiyang offered from his natural habitat, a batter soaked apron shielding a yellow sweater and blue jeans.

     "I want all the pancakes you have," Ruby declared.

     "And you, Weiss?" Taiyang offed, pointing the spatula to his new daughter-in-law.

     "Not in my diet, Taiyang, could I perhaps get a fruit cup?" Weiss requested, quick to sit beside Ruby, opposite to Reese. They still had some kinks to work out in their best friend to wife relationship. Father though, he was on point, tossing her a sealed plastic bowl of citrus treats.  
     "You can not seriously be on a diet, you just got married! I mean, at this point screw it." Nora could bench God, something they had discovered in junior year. The pancakes she was scarfing down undoubtedly made up barely an eighth of her consumed calories. The dieting world was alien to her.

     "Don't mind my mate, Weiss, your figure is lovely and you'll outlive us all," Penny interjected, punctuating her sentence with a bite of her much more doable flapjack pile. In the twilight of school, the two of them had come to appreciate one another, something deeply meaningful to Ruby.

     "You're going to need that energy tonight. I hear this town gets lit," Reese mumbled with her mouth full, another hearty eater. Her metabolism was a molten core running on full power.

     "It's quite a show. My lovely wife and I will be enjoying ourselves at dinner, right honey?" father paused for Envida's approval, but she waved him off, eyes locked on her work, "So I expect everyone will be just fine." Taiyang slid Ruby his finest plate, a tower of three, complete with a heart made of strawberries. Best dad ever.

     "Well, Taiyang, I am closer to thirty than twenty. At this point, if I can't take care of myself, shoot me," Weiss added with a petite chomp of some sort of mango thing.

     "We're going to meet up with Yang at the pub after her tournament," Ruby clarified, unhappy with the whole shooting Weiss prospect. She was enjoying strawberries, not malice, "but first, the burnings of Vale!" Pausing to lower her voice, and take in a mouth full of maple wonder, Ruby swallowed with a smile, "AKA. the coolest light show ever."

* * *

     "Holy shit." Appropriate. Reese's pace ahead of the rest, having swerved through the crowd on her longboard like the nuisance she was, came to a rolling stop once the cobble path ended at the sea. This year's structure was twice the beast of last time. An armored snowy knight of paper and wood raised a sword high enough to down the clouds, its chest emptied, aside from a fiery heart of gold held by spindles of lumber. The body was supported by metal wires wrapped in fallible cardboard roses. Nightingales, massive and bloated, formed a field base. Two sister pyres made out to be a lotus with lightening bolts and a crescent moon held up by a greek soldier were dwarfed on either side. Reese's first Vytal Festival was bound to delight the senses, if the strung about gold web of lights or the streets ringing of music and sound didn't overwhelm her already.

     "They continue to surprise me, though the metal wire is practically cheating." Weiss stared up, despite her chill tone, with a shimmering child's eye, lips fighting to keep their stoic station. The burning always lit something aflame inside, radiating warm giddy excitement Ruby could feel through their latched arms and the heft of Weiss' petite fall coat. At twenty-eight, seeing Weiss be a little girl again was easily the Vytal highlight.

     "It's almost a shame to watch it go, the knight looks awesome." Ruby noted, feeling a heavy and wonderful nostalgia. Six years ago now, was it? Six years ago, dropped off at the opposite edge of the Atlantic, scared and alone, they stood together, in the shadows of a colossus, watching the statue collapse with their troubles. Their first date really. It may have seemed simple, but such a pivotal turn. They linked their fates, arm and arm, staring at the edge of the old world.

     The perfect place to get wed.

     "It's truly a sensation, to think it got here in one day," Penny marveled, face hidden by the heft of her scarf. The strip of beach, pressed right up to the boardwalk last night, was devoid of this spectacle. Their wedding took place two blocks down, feet in the sand, vows shared and witnessed by the sea and the stars. Weddings are shockingly short, and surprisingly straightforward. Lot of walking, lot of standing there in a red dress internally screaming, lot of crying throughout, and just a little bit of saying I do and changing their lives forever. Vytal festival a historic night for two reasons now.

     "Penny, you're on Nora duty this year. No one's swimming over to the bonfire," Weiss ordered, quick to remember her propensity for risk taking.

     "That was, like, once!" the Dane's remark was largely ignored, Penny quick to salute and accept her fate, team ginger loyal to the end. God, Ruby loved seeing her again. She supposed, from the mail last week, they would be seeing a lot more of each other soon.

     "Okay, so when does this thing explode?" Reese asked, clearing the green hair from her face, the last words before the crowd began to rise, a uniform voice calling for El Vale's most famous moment. The first fire.

     "Cinco, cuatro!" Voices from the firefighters began the official count.

     "Tres!" Others followed, Ruby first among them.

     "Dos!" Weiss, hopping just a bit, a vibration Ruby could feel through their tightly linked arms and into her ring bound finger, joined last, unable to hold it in, stoicism unwelcome tonight, burned with the worries.

     " **Uno!"**

     Fireworks burst from the gold heart, the igniter sending sparks out to fire up the ice knight's core. Lightning traveled the paper rose tightened wire, chains of fire torching the structure it held in place. The nightengals below blossomed into blaze and colored streams of light. Snowflake runes formed along the sword, fire bursting from the cracks. Each piece of this amalgamation burned its own color of light. Red, yellow, blue, and a gray fire Ruby had never seen before.

     "Holy fucking shit!" Reese screeched with the crowd, shadows evaporating by the sheer intensity of the colossal knight of flames. Body consumed completely in a fire that radiated so intense it cooked Ruby's face, drying her eyes and leaving her parched at near a half block away. Smoke was heavy in the air, the sister statues lighting up with them. The center heart cracked and broke off on the right side, only the left shell remained, inside a solid, wooden white rose ignited with it.

     "The burnings might be the most beautiful thing in the world," Weiss whispered, just loud enough for Ruby's ears to pick up. Her cheeks colored by the heat burned, cute like a schoolgirl.

     "Nah, the most beautiful thing in the world flipped me out of my bed this morning." Her smartass reply earned Ruby an elbow to the rips. Her red hoodie took the blow, the pressure only forcing out a giggle.

     The flames went on, some people sang the _La Marcha Real while_ the pair just stood and watched in awe, the smoke smell and the colored heat taking over their senses. Ruby intertwined her fingers with Weiss', spurring the older girl to rest her head on the younger's shoulder. Weiss swayed with her partner, the song notes pulling their bodies back and forth like a two person metronome.

     The paper flowers spread into ash petals and danced towards the crowd during the knight's final moments. The mâché skin burned off, and fragments of wood cooked, a bright fiery skeleton all that remained. "Are you prepared to ditch the rest of these losers and run with me?" Weiss offered her wife, a yearly tradition born from excitement that still tugged at them every year. Reese was in awe, Penny and Nora shoving each other for better spots, playfully of course. They were good.

     "On three?" Ruby confirmed, tightening the grip she held on Weiss' hand. Now was special, Weiss grinned fully, a marvelous and mischievous pull on her lips. Not enough to flash her teeth, but it was bright enough with the fire in her eyes.

     "How about, on _now_?" Ruby didn't resist the pull on her hand, ready this time for the race. "Nora, Penny, make sure Reese doesn't die!" A final order as they slithered passed the mixing crowds, unwilling to wait for them to disperse. More sites around the city were bright and burning, plenty of smoke pyres darkening the stars and luminescent cross stitch of lights.

     "Penny, the pub at midnight!" They didn't wait for confirmation, though Ruby swore she could hear the distant sounds of a punk girl cursing. "What happened to the 'it's their only day with you' Weiss from this morning?" the redhead asked as soon as they were clear from any intruding forces.

     "Six years with you has completely corrupted my senses, Ruby. I'm a mad woman now, dangerous and illogical," Weiss joked as they kicked their way down a back alley and farther from the boardwalk, deeper into the city's core. The pathway to Mistral Street was no longer a simple expedition. Through the low archways of an ancient town, more and more of El Vale was consumed by dance floors between etched stone work, and makeshift bars stretching from one red tilted roof to the other. Nowhere was without people, but Weiss and Ruby could move, they knew the native paths, the hidden spaces, and quick crosswalks through churches, apartments, and open shops. So long as they kept tied by an arm, the pair could swim through any crowd and hit each and every burning one could see in a single night.

     First of every year, Plaza de Mistral, then Vacuo bridge, last Plaza del Vale.

     "You know, I thought I would get bored of this display," Weiss kept her voice in the barely audible range, cheering threatening to overcome it, but Ruby managed, her ears trained to that specific pitch. "We picked a good date." Ruby nodded as the display began to ignite. A paper clockwork bird, cardboard gears turning in its eyes.

     "Yeah, well, I'm pretty good at picking up chicks during the festival, lots of experience." Weiss cracked at the line, giggling maybe a little too much into her hands. "Hey, I am an adorable cutie pie, don't deny you fell for my charms!" _Thank god._

     "Like a dead venus fly trap," Weiss compared, eyes shimmering from the orange light, "I went right for it, got stuck, and nothing happend. You were so oblivious."

     "You are so pretty, I couldn't help it," Ruby pouted, tugging away from her wife, whom, having none of it, pulled right back.

     "I quite literally asked you on a date, and you brought your friends like a dunce," Weiss explained, "I could have come to you naked in the night with a rose in my mouth and the first thing you'd do is hand me coat."

     "No!" Ruby shouted, laughing at the ridiculous accusation, "First thing I would'a done is die!" The pop of an off brand bottle rocket punctuated Ruby, the city dwellers taking a bit of the show into their own hands. Amazing the town never burned down.

     "Hey nerds!" Reese kept glued to her longboard, the heart and soul of her existence despite the packed populous. Years of skill let her navigate with little trouble, leaving a cracked trail between citizens stepping out of the way for Nora and Penny to track. "I've been looking for you all over town, this place is crazy."

     "Funny, I was not looking for you," Weiss mumbled, a few degrees from friends with someone who officially made half their living riding a wood plank on wheels. "Oh well, all that is beauty is temporary." Ruby delivered the lightest of elbows at that comment. No need for salty spitfire.

     "Friends!" Penny caught up, red curly hair a little wilder than usual, frayed with a few drops of sweat. The longboard gave her quite a bit of trouble it seemed. _Actually_ , Ruby noted, _where the hell is Nora?_

     "Where's the little one?" Weiss vocalised a unified worry, the two sharing a snapshot look of confirmed concern.

     "Oh, around, I think, us getting to Plaza de Vacuo, Nora decided her tiny legs weren't for running and went to the pub for a few," Penny answered, clutching her knees and wheezing out breath she couldn't seem to latch onto. _So face first in a pint by now._

     "Did you seriously go all the way to Vacuo? That's literally the other side of town!" Weiss' free hand held her waist, like the news itself was going to trip her face first in the cobblestone. Ruby could feel sympathy pains in her legs just from the thought.

     "Yeah," Penny paused to loudly suck in some air, "Reese is fast."

     "You didn't have to run after me," Reese groaned, completing another revolution around them on her board.

     "Party moving early?" Ruby asked, mostly to Weiss. The fires were burning, but low, heat real, music reverberating a little lighter between every bump. Mostly she wanted to see Yang. The Vytal festival tournament was over. Yang had lost two years in a row, but as a senior, this was the final shot before she moved onto the adult world; Ruby postponed this with grad school. Again, she kept the family out, but she would be there with Blake. Whatever the outcome, Ruby wanted to be there to say congrats, give Yang love. Waiting sucked.

     "Want out?" Weiss asked, turning her eyes over to Ruby. She loved the night, the smoke, the flames, and flickering lights. A bad trade for her. Yet she smiled, hand holding Ruby's clenching with a gentle pulse. "I could use a drink." A sweet sacrifice, the embers left as they parted for the finest Irish establishment in all of Spain.

* * *

     "Yang, what happened to your face?!"

     "Victory!" Yang's lion roar moved the masses, the college pub packed with patriots. She lifted her hands high, turning her fingers to Vs, or trying. The right limb was constricted by a first aid fabric cast. She smiled with full teeth, despite the busted lip held shut by butterfly stitches. Her lilac eyes matched the black and blue swelling around the right one. All along the tan, muscle tight skin there were equally discolored marks, visible thanks to her yellow tank and spandex shorts. Yet, despite and because of all of this, Ruby had never seen her happier.

     "She took a pounding," Blake explained, coming from behind the bar with an ice pack. Yang swung around, arms open to receive her, lips puckered for a kiss. The Italian gave her an ice pack to the face instead, walking right past her. "Idiot just let herself run into the punch over and over, even took a kick to the head. I swear she has a concussion."

     "But I won!" Yang grinned, face full of ice and belly full of fire. Ruby didn't have words for her idiot sister. All she could do was give the doof a hug and accept her just as she was.

     "Please, stop getting yourself almost killed," Ruby begged, clutching her sister. She remained solid, after everything, after quite a few scares. After what, twenty-something years? Yang Xiao Long remained a fire spitting dragon and a rock in the sea.

     "Hey, as long as it's almost, you two love my spontaneity!"

     "I try not to," Blake quipped, leaning over to land a peck on her girlfriend's battered face. Yang, with her injured hand, snatched the girl's chin, taking a bigger kiss for a champion's reward. Blake lightly shoved off her partner, eliciting a giggle from Yang. "You want to get hit in the head, again?"

     "No, but speaking of headaches!" Yang reached for Ruby and Weiss, snatching both their hands and letting the ice pack fall to the floor like an idiot. "Weiss, my beloved sister-in-law, Ruby, it's time for you to meet the new students, my lovely support team!"

     Port's Pub remained a home for the foreign students of Beacon. The upper level packed with a new generation of bright faces from foreign lands, sitting as an awkward family in their special cherry wood seats, unaware of the mantle of memories they now held. A cute group of mostly freshmen, May from Hong Kong, Octavia from Romania, Ciel from Algeria sat together huddling for warmth. Included in the program were girls Dew from Ireland and Gwen from Wales, both second years. Roy, a third year from France, and the last a fourth year, an American named Nolan, still respected Yang's control as a super super senior. Not half bad in terms of replacements.

     Yang introduced Ruby and Weiss, told the group the pair's marriage gave her the power to strike down her enemies and win the day. They seemed excited within varying degrees of shyness. Nora broke down the walls with a shout for "Tequila!" She seemed already integrated, easing the party of older woman back into their thrones.

     Wasn't long before the booze started flowing again, especially after May had perhaps insisted that Nora couldn't handle much at her size. Soon enough a game of graduates versus students commenced. Penny, Nora, Blake, and Reese (she lied about going to Beacon for the cheap drinks) went head to head with May, Nolan, Octavia, Dew, and Gwen. Yang wanted to defend Nora's honor with the old ladies, but Blake nearly threw her back into her seat, at one point even considering duct taping her to the chair. Yang quickly accepted her role as cheerleader.

     Ruby of course stayed on the sidelines, leaning against the back wall, as the first round began. Everyone kept score with bullshit numbers and skipping counts in various languages. Even though she kept herself from the battle, there with Weiss it felt like being a kid again. Though, she supposed it never stopped. "Hey, Ruby, I got your milk," Coco's voice was a rare once a year melody, "It's on the house, newlywed." She hadn't changed, not even a little, besides maybe getting her own place with Velvet. She worked on the wedding, not a major deal. Honestly, tonight seemed like a bigger celebration. Ruby took her glass, set it down, and gave her old friend a hug.

     The night kept up its festivities, even as the crowds died down. Patrons left and the affair became more and more a private party. Port closed the kitchen down, old mustachioed man off to bed. The alcohol surge did leave everyone a few decibels louder and several levels sillier. The new kids all circled around Penny's advice corner, the redhead relying on Ruby's skill as a translator for drunken York into standard English. Nora slept under Velvet and Coco's watch, and Weiss went out for a breather, choking on the bar air.

     Blake forced sobriety on the wounded Vytal champion, but failed to do so for herself. This late in the night, Blake was effectively wasted. She curled up on Yang, holding the blonde's head like a careful possession, as if it could fall off. Yang didn't care in the least, body breathing heavy and tired, fury and adrenaline could only run the motor for so long. Content was the best way to describe her. "Heya, sis."

     "Hi Ruby, how's the married life?" Yang could barely manage to be audible over Penny's loud explanation on the merits of traditional mechanical physics. Blake still kept that ice pack on her eye and somehow, despite the partying, the champion looked a little less like shit.

     "Weird, but like, a good fuzzy sort of weird, not a bad sort of weird," Ruby replied with a master's level English education. The question of how the heck did she manage to write novels fresh on her mind. "How about you, hurting at all? I really miss you, Yang."

     "Same, every day Rubes. I really want you to know, I'm so proud of the person you are today. I know Summer is so proud," Yang shared, a slight rasp in her voice, thirsty or desperate, "but yeah, honestly all of me hurts like hell right now, but I got the world's best nurse." Yang's casted arm fumbled its way through Blake's hair.

     "Blake's a really good girl, you deserve her, Yang," Ruby declared, sipping the last bit from her now lukewarm milk. Her sister's lips curled up, too content to act embarrassed. Honestly, she could be blushing, but with a face this black and blue, it really didn't matter.

     "I don't know if I deserve anything, but I am really grateful I have a chance to not totally fuck this up." Every cynical word Yang ever said came with a chuckle and grin, impossible to take seriously. Ruby knew well enough that was the mask, shaking her head in disagreement. "Don't fight me, especially when you're being a bad wife. Go entertain my sister-and-law."

     "You sure?" Ruby asked.

     "Yes, now go," Yang demanded, "I love you, and I'm proud of you, now get out of my face."

     "Love you, too," Ruby finished, sucking in the last bit of air before she escaped into the outside world. Port's Pub, despite her general preference for sobriety, will always be a perfect place.

     Past the door the temperature dropped in the terribly early morn. It had drizzled just a bit, easing a lot of work and washing some of the smoke and ash smell out of their fair city. Best thing it did was give the street a shine, the cobble rocks each reflecting the lamps and festival lights. The tan paint had a darker tinge, and puddles filled the cracks between stones, splintering the light even more and giving the night a glow. Weiss wasn't far from the entrance.

     She stood watch, waiting for Ruby perhaps. Her blue eyes certainly noted Ruby before shooting off towards the crescent moon. She clung to herself for warmth, her preferred coat failing to match up to the north Spain autumn. Her partner was happy to provide that heat for her.

     Coming up from behind, Weiss offered no resistance as Ruby slid her arms around her waist, and pulled her close from the back. Together they better battled the wind current that charged down the narrow streets, blowing cool air from right off the Atlantic. It gave the atmosphere a slightly salty taste, mixed unevenly with the flavor of ash and rain. "What'cha doing out here, Weiss?"

     "It's not that I don't like the pub, but bars aren't my thing, and I felt like breathing something other than cigarettes and ethanol," Weiss admitted, her tone flat and factual, untainted. Ruby tucked her chin into the girl's neck, finding a comfortable position.

     "Next time, we'll bring a guitar. I know you're a sucker for musical attention."

     "I'm a sucker for music."

     "Two guitars, gotcha," Ruby joked, receiving no punishment for her teasing, "So I got some news."

     "Yes?" Weiss asked. If she was truly curious she masked it with a tone of indifference. Ruby kept herself pretty shut on the email she had received a few days ago. Not meaning to hide it, but between the varying papers, planning, preparation, and pomp, their wedding consumed everything. Including her big news.

     "I got an email from King's College. I've been accepted into the doctorate program." Weiss didn't jump in surprise, but Ruby could feel her release a breath by the pressure on her back, a happy hum following the exhale. "I figured you already knew since I can smell your dad's involvement all over this." King's College was one of the best humanities schools in all of England. Ruby wouldn't have even bothered applying if it wasn't for Dr. Autumn's insistence.

     "Yes, our father now. He only wanted to make sure you got a shot. Your master's thesis is what convinced them, not us. We just made sure they looked at it. Please, understand—"

     "I do," Ruby cut her off, feeling the tensing of Weiss' shoulders against her chin. The cold air blew through and encouraged a tightening hug. She wasn't thrilled about it, but the love was there, it was okay. "I just want to know I deserve it. I can stand on my own two feet. I want to be part of what supports us."

     "Ruby," Weiss began, turning around to face her wife without breaking the seal of her arms. Important enough to be face to face, Weiss' blue eyes didn't falter at all, keeping locked on the silver disks within their view. Cold absolutism stared Ruby down. "I don't bother with lies. I believe your writing is astounding. I believe that nothing me or my father could say would convince Dr. Autumn to be so interested in you if she didn't like your master's thesis. Trust me. Please."

     "I believe, thank you," Ruby whispered, no competing sound out in the street, the city resting from a night of amazement. In their new position, Ruby pressed her cheek against Weiss', perfectly locked. Her ears were cold, chilled by wind and waiting.

     "Good," Weiss replied, flatly, dangerously, "Then you won't be mad that after our honeymoon I've already scheduled for us to look for apartments in London." Ruby spat out a laugh, earning an annoyed growl from Weiss.

     "Didn't even ask," Ruby complained, not meaning it. The subject of what to do after marriage, how to build a proper life not separated by a sea, had be previously up in the air, labeled and sorted in the 'to figure out later' category of life. "Can you do that? Pick up the company and move with me?"

     "My dad's not dead, so the SDC is fine," Weiss answered in directness that would have shocked an eighteen year old Ruby, "and my record label would perform better located in London, more acts pile in there. I'll have offices in both locations, but this is a smart move. I promise."

     "Not holding you back?"

     "I refuse," Weiss declared, adding her own arms to their embrace. It felt reminiscent of their first dance, right on the beach, just a night ago. A formal affair with their shoes kicked off and the Atlantic licking the girls' feet. Both of them giggled then, now silent, but happy. "Your mother told us to fly. So let's do it. Together. Travel, and live, and do everything there is to be done."

     "It's all I want."

     "So, Ruby Rose, do you still _do_?" Weiss asked, pulling away just enough to be face to face, nose to nose, forehead to forehead. Her eyes focused on the answer, asking for a repeat of yesterday.

     "Yes," Ruby answered, "I do." Kissing her bride outside a pub, freezing alive in an autumn morning, their vows were reaffirmed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, assuming the site doesn't crash, I actually finished a holiday special, ON THE HOLIDAY IT'S MADE FOR, which is Ironic in this case, as it has nothing to with Valentines day and actually takes place in fall, but fuck it. Wanted an excuse to write about the wedding and specifically the day after, which to me, is more interesting. Wedding's themselves are very expensive and surprisingly short and simple. Lot of tweaking for an hour long thing. Felt like this was better. Who knows maybe you all will hate me.
> 
> Originally choice was suppose to end before volume 3, but I feel happy ending it with it. Though thematically they are super different. RWBY is an astoundingly creative fun house that has breed a community of creativity to such a degree I've never seen something like it per capita of the viewership. RWBY may not be perfect but that's astounding and much more important than a better script. It inspires people to make, people like me included. Thanks RWBY, and thanks Monty, I feel confident that was your favorite part too.
> 
> I want to say thanks as well to all of you who read and supported me. This is the last planned extra, I've thought of maybe doing a distant domestic AU, maybe with kids, but if I did that it would probably be separate fic. LEt me know what you think, but I'm most focused on Summer's Vale which chapter one should finish soon. I hope to hear what you all have thought, it's amazing the amount of messages I've gotten about the feelings this fic has given. People who don't know where to go, people afraid to follow their dreams, and many who have suffered losses like Ruby. I'm honored by the messages and I love you all. Thank you for the time.
> 
> Thanks again to LazyKatze, she's astounding, really, she rushed to get this done before her Valentine's date, nearly throwing up last night to make sure it came out on time. I love her to death, thank you cat.
> 
> See you all later, I hope to get the same support for the other fics moving forward. Goodbye everyone!


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